Exploring Transboundary Spaces: A Comparison of Traditional Hmong Musical Identities in China and Thailand

This qualitative investigation of Hmong music in China and Thailand seeks to examine how 200 years of separation and the influence of different national politics, economies, and cultures have affected the development of Hmong musical traditions. The two field locations for this investigation were purposively selected as Leishan County, Guizhou Province, China, and Khao Kho District, Phetchabun Province, Thailand. Data were collected from documentary review and field investigations between October 2020 and December 2021. The findings demonstrate that traditional Hmong music is present in both China and Thailand. The original heritage pieces share vast similarities and can be considered as coming from the same ethnic group. However, modern musical developments share more similarities with the cultures of the respective nation-states than the Hmong ethnic groups. The conclusion of the paper is that the Hmong people are currently a transboundary group in heritage and memory whose cultural practices are becoming more closely associated with nation-states over time.