Ancient Marriage Customs (3)

Legal and Class Taboos in Ancient Marriages 1. No Marriage Between Same Surnames: Since the Zhou Dynasty, marriage between people with the same surname was strictly prohibited ("same surname marriage, fearing lack of prosperity"). Ancient people believed that marrying someone with the same surname would lead to descendants who were not prosperous and were prone to illness. 2. No Marriage Between "Good" and "Lowly" Classes: Ancient society had strict class divisions. "Good" people (commoners, officials) absolutely could not marry "lowly" people (such as slaves, prostitutes, actors) as their principal wife. Otherwise, the man would face severe legal punishment (like caning). 3. Matching Family Status (Men Dang Hu Dui): Marriage was essentially a political or economic alliance between two families. Therefore, there was a profound marital divide between noble families, the scholar-official class, and commoners.