Each home contains at least one altar for the ancestral spirits. Houses are never built in a way that would hinder a spirit from freely entering the door and going to the altar. Every house must face downhill, and no two houses may be in direct line with each other, since this might obstruct the pathway of the spirits. Hmong society is divided into a number of patrilineal clans, which means that the line of descent is traced through the males. These clans freely intermarry.
Courtship is one of the main themes of the numerous Hmong festivals.
Young couples often sing love songs to each other and exchange small gifts. Although arranged marriages are becoming more common, young people are still free to select their own mates. A newlywed couple usually lives with the groom's family until the birth of their first child. At that time, the young couple moves into their own home. Within the extended family, the oldest male has virtually unlimited authority.