Hmong societal norms and rules are anchored in deep customary laws (cai tswj), traditional values, and strict kinship systems. Foundational rules include absolute clan exogamy (forbidding marriage or romantic relations within the same paternal surname), profound respect and deference toward elders and ancestral spirits, communal cooperation during life-cycle events like weddings and funerals, and adherence to spiritual taboos (caj dab).