*Alternate Names: Mèo, Mẹo, Miêu

*Language: The H'Mong language belongs to the Mông-Dao language group.

*Sub-Groups: The H'Mong are divided into several sub-groups, including Mông Đơ (White H'Mong), Mông Lềnh (Flower H'Mong), Mông Sí (Red H'Mong), and Mông Đú (Black H'Mong).

*Population: There are over 558,000 H'Mong people.

*Residency: The H'Mong predominantly live in the mountainous highlands of provinces such as Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Lai Châu, Sơn La, Cao Bằng, and Nghệ An.

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*Economy: The H'Mong primarily engage in shifting cultivation, growing corn and rice, with some areas utilizing terraced fields. Their staple foods include corn, upland rice, and barley. They also cultivate flax for weaving and grow medicinal plants. H'Mong families raise buffalo, cattle, horses, dogs, and chickens. In the past, the H'Mong believed that animal husbandry was the women’s role, while hunting in the forest was the men’s responsibility.

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*Clothing: The traditional attire of the H'Mong is primarily made from self-woven flax fabric. Women’s traditional clothing includes a skirt, a front-open blouse, aprons both front and back, and leg wraps. The blouses often feature a colorful embroidered collar that drapes over the shoulder. The skirts are elaborately designed and pleated, flaring out widely.

*Family and Marriage: The H'Mong belive that individuals from the same clan as siblings with a shared ancestry, who must support each other in daily life and offer assistance in times of need. Each clan lives together in a cluster, led by a clan leader who manages communal affairs. Marriage customs are relatively free, with individuals choosing their own partners. Marriages within the same clan are forbidden. The H'Mong practice "háy pù," where a couple, if their love is approved by the parents but financial conditions are challenging, may elope to a designated spot, where the man takes the woman as his wife. H'Mong couples rarely divorce; they generally live harmoniously, working together in agriculture, attending markets, and participating in festivals.

*Customs and Traditions: The H'Mong celebrate their traditional New Year in December. During the three-day festival, they abstain from eating green vegetables. Young men and women greet the New Year by playing traditional horns to call friends.

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* Musical Instruments: The H'Mong utilize a variety of musical instruments, with the most common being the khèn (bamboo mouth organ) and the đàn môi (bamboo jew's harp). After a day of hard work, young people use these instruments to call out to their partners, celebrate the beauty of life, and express their love for their homeland and country.

Translated by Huyen Vu