A Sad Hmong Love Story

I first came across this story on YouTube in 2011. At first, it was the haunting background music that caught my attention. But after replaying the video a few times, I began to pay closer attention to the spoken words and realized that the speaker, Liaj Xyum Vaj, has an extraordinary talent for Hmong speech. He is able to tell a short story that is both compelling and deeply poetic.

This is something I have always struggled to achieve. As someone who is more fluent in English than Hmong, I often feel limited in my ability to produce the same kind of poetic expression in Hmong.

This story was originally published on this site in 2012. For this 2026 edition, I have revisited and rewritten the piece in both English and Hmong, while making every effort to preserve the spirit, imagery, and distinctive beauty of the original. The story has also been given new artwork to accompany this updated version.

Below, I have reproduced the portion of Liaj Xyum Vaj’s two-part video that I particularly enjoyed, along with his audio for those who cannot read Hmong. 

Song of the Week

Tsim Laj Muas & Mog Mim Yaj - Kev Hlub Yam Dej Ntws Tsis Rov

Guy:

Kuv tau hlub nrog koj ib zaug

I have loved you once

Los yuav tsis tau koj coj los ua kuv tug

But I don’t have the luck of getting you to be mine

Wb txoj kev hlub

Our love

Kuv yuav muab khaws zoo cia

I will keep it well

Cim koj tseg rau nruab siab

You will be imprinted in my heart (the literal translation is “You will be imprinted in my liver" because for the Hmong people, to love comes from the liver and not the heart; heart in Hmong is "plawv" and the word "plawv" sounds harsh to the ear)

Cim koj cia rau ntsiab muag

You will be imprinted in my eyes (more specifically "the cornea")

Song of the Week

While writing The Magnificient Seven, I suddenly felt nostalgic of this old Hmong song by the group Unique 3 because I think the music matches the ambience of The Magnificent Seven very well.  Alongside Unique 3's version, I decided to post Pov Thoj's cover of the song (I believe his lyrics is slightly altered), Npis Yaj and Christal Vaj's cover, and the instrumental.  Enjoy...listen to the music while you read the story...I think it will help put you in the mood...

Unique 3 - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim