Zhou had great power over the vassals, who could still obey the tribute. In the thirteenth year of Zuo Zhuan, it was said: "In the past, emperors paid tribute in classes, while the emperors paid tribute in columns, and the weekly system was also established." In addition to gunnar, you need to make a pilgrimage to report on your work and send troops to sign it. The Emperor of Zhou had the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the vassal state, and sometimes sent envoys to the vassal state to supervise the state, which together with the vassal state was called "the vassal supervised the state".

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Emperor of Zhou was able to command the princes and enter the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The authority of the Zhou royal family declined, and most governors failed to fulfill their obligations to the royal family. The royal family itself was attached to the great powers such as Jin, Zheng and Wei at that time, not to mention ordering the princes. The oath and the "pat on the shoulder" also made Zhou's only majesty lost. But in name, the governors of various countries are still vassals of Zhou Wang. Except Chu, there is no move to become a king. Putting forward that respecting the king and resisting foreigners is more for one's own national interests, but it also makes Zhou look up slightly. Most of the monarchs of the five tyrants also acted under this slogan, that is, they respected the king on the surface, but actually expanded and merged. After entering the Warring States period, most countries have merged, and there are only more than 20 vassal States in the Zhou Dynasty, the largest of which is the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period. During the Warring States Period, besides Wei Huiwang and Qi Weiwang, there was another move to the Zhou Dynasty, but it was also a show. The monarchs of other vassal states never laid hands on the Zhou Dynasty again.