hmong women who married han chinese men founded a new xem clan among northern thailand's hmong. fifty years later in chiangmai two of their hmong boy descendants were catholics. a hmong woman and han chinese man married and founded northern thailand's lau2, or lauj, clan, , with another han chinese man of the family name deng founding another hmong clan. some scholars believe this lends further credence to the idea that some or all of the present day hmong clans were formed in this way.