Hmong have always been an agrarian culture that relied on the seasons to provide for their livelihood. They have a talent and love to grow things in the most mountainous terrain. This painting reflects a change in their way of life as they use their talents to cultivate poppies for opium production in the late 1800's.
Paaj Yeej is about the love/hate relationship this plant provided for the Hmong community that enriched some lives while devastating others.