This short article is a response to the Author, Chan, in regard to the book Hmong means Free. This article is not to criticize but to clarify the misunderstanding of the meaning of the word "Hmong". Chan has stated that "The word Hmong means 'free'" (1994:3). Let me begin by saying that the word Hmong does not mean free. Hmong, like other minority groups around the world, is just a group of people whose lifestyle often clashes with the dominant groups. Currently, millions of Hmong still live in china and through out the world. Graham did research in China and noticed that the Chinese called the Hmong "Miao" which means sons of the soil; however, the author also asserted that the Miao called themselves Hmong. The term "Miao" has been indiscriminately applied to other non-Chinese groups (1954:1). I do not know who coined and translated the word "Hmong" to mean "free". However, I am sure most of the literatures found in libraries that contain the word "Hmong" either are recent or are from the group of Hmong who used to live in Laos. Very few works have been written by Hmong from other countries such as China, Thailand, etc. More...