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| GEOGRAPHY ELEMENTS AND INFLUENCE OF POLYGYNOUS MARRIAGE WIDELY ACCEPTED IN ANCIENT LINGNAN |
| LI Ning-li |
| Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510275, China |
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Abstract According to literature recordation, polygamy was widely accepted in ancient Lingnan region. This paper primarily analyzed why this kind of marriage was spread widely. The author pointed out the special and natural geography of that ground, impressed history and social cultural background, and the various district cultures are main factors that make polygamy prevailed. Up to now, the number of fancy women and whoredom is rising in developed cities; they are new forms descending the polygamy. Facing this kind of phenomenon, at the same time, we should be cognizant of them and adopt the powerful rules to expel it, so that we can purify our society. This paper analyzed the physical and human geography foundation of ancient Lingnan. First, ocean and five mountains, which were difficult to cross over for primitive men, surrounded this region and the natural environment of this area was also abominable. The wild animal and damp and hot virus threaten greatly on human survival. So, advanced Central Plains culture(North culture) is very difficult to propagate in this place. The culture of lingnan keeps much primitive custom, including antithesis wedding and group marriage, these were polygamy in fact. Second, in this region, the quantity of man is smaller than women, so implementing the polygamy were contributed to alleviating the social contradiction. Third, numerous ethnic minorities live in the area of Lingnan. These men and women have free sexual relations and the illegitimates children are legal. Fourth, the commerce has been developed in Lingnan since the old time; the richer men can buy concubines during the period of expanding of doctrine of man right. The polygamy causes serious influence to later society; there are different forms of expression in the coastal area, mountainous area, and delta area.
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Received: 20 June 2003
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2004, Vol. 19 
