Xong was classified in its own branch of the Hmongic family in Strecker (1987). Xiang (1999) divided Xong into western and eastern dialects. Matisoff (2001) considered these to be two distinct languages, but Matisoff (2006) consolidated them into one. Yang (2004) divides each of these dialects into three subdialects, as listed below. Speaker populations and locations are from Li and Li (2012). •
Western (includes standardized Xong) •
Lect 1 (autonym: ''''): Jiwei 吉卫,
Huayuan County; 769,000 speakers in the counties of Fenghuang (except Baren 叭仁乡), most of Huayuan, southern Jishou, Xinhuang, Mayang, Songtao, parts of Rongjiang, parts of Ziyun, Xiushan, parts of Nandan, parts of Hechi, and parts of Du'an. •
Lect 2 (autonym: ''''): Yangmeng 阳孟,
Jishou; 120,000 speakers in the counties of eastern Huayuan, western and northern Jishou, eastern Baojing, southwestern Guzhang, Fenghuang (in Baren 叭仁乡), and Xuan'en. •
Lect 3 (autonym: ''''): Zhongxin 中心,
Baojing County; 30,000 speakers in southeastern Baojing County. •
Eastern •
Lect 4 (autonym: ''''): Xiaozhang 小章,
Luxi County; 6,000 speakers in and around Xiaozhang, Luxi County •
Lect 5 (autonym: ''''): Danqing 丹青,
Jishou; 48,000 speakers in the counties of northwestern Luxi, eastern Jishou, and southeastern Guzhang. •
Lect 6 (autonym: ''''): Dengshang 蹬上,
Longshan County; 300 speakers in southern Longshan County and Yongshun County (in Shouche 首车乡). He Fuling (2009) describes a western Qo Xiong dialect of Gouliang Ethnic Miao Village, Ala Township,
Fenghuang County (凤凰县阿拉镇勾良苗寨). Chen (2009) describes a western Qo Xiong dialect of Daxing Town 大兴镇,
Songtao County, Guizhou. ==Phonology and script==