There land fiefs were granted by lords or the monarch to knights, who were considered the 'vassals', who in return promised loyalty to the lord and provided military support during periods of war. In China, instead of a salary, each noble was given land by the Zhou ruler along with the people living on it who worked on the land and gave part of the produce they raised to the nobles as a tax.
Feudal lords bestowed territories upon knights, known as vassals, in exchange for loyalty and military aid during wartime. In contrast, Chinese nobles received land from the Zhou ruler, along with the people inhabiting it, who contributed a portion of their crops as tribute.