Same surname marriage

["S. L . Lee" <sllee@asiawind.com>]

Clem,

Chinese learned empirically that marriage between close relatives can give
rise to defective births. That is the origin of this taboo. Now it is quite
clear from genetics that the inheritance of recessive bad genes can be
statistically compensated by marrying someone further from the family tree
that has a dominant healthy gene. The scanty population of Mongolians,
Inuits forces them to acquire new traits from other gene pools. Thus, they
have the custom of offering the wife to a foreign stranger. It sounds weird
but surprisingly genetically correct. It is also true that interracial
marriages often result in intelligent and handsom/beautiful offsprings.

Back to your question, it should be alright these days to have marriages of
the same surname, as long as they are not related within three generations.
That is there has been 'dilution' with other gene pools. In fact marriage
between cousins of different surnames are equal taboos in Chinese custom, by
the same observation and reasoning.

Hakka and non-Hakka by the same surname could be relatives way back, south
or north.  Those who did not migrate are still related. However, since Tang
emperors offer the surname Lee(Li) to many courtiers and generals of major
contribution, many Lee(Li)'s were not from the same gene pool.

SL Lee