Editing Mandarin Chinese (section)

== Classification ==
=== Boundaries ===
{{Further|List of varieties of Chinese}}
The classification of Chinese dialects evolved during the 20th century, and many points remain unsettled. Early classifications tended to follow provincial boundaries or major geographical features.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=36–41}}

In 1936, [[Wang Li (linguist)|Wang Li]] produced the first classification based on phonetic criteria, principally the evolution of [[Middle Chinese]] voiced initials. His Mandarin group included dialects of northern and southwestern China, as well as those of [[Hunan]] and northern [[Jiangxi]].{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=41–42}}
[[Li Fang-Kuei]]'s classification of 1937 distinguished the latter two groups as [[Xiang Chinese|Xiang]] and [[Gan Chinese|Gan]], while splitting the remaining Mandarin dialects between Northern, Lower Yangtze and Southwestern Mandarin groups.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|p=49}}

The widely accepted seven-group classification of [[Yuan Jiahua]] in 1960 kept Xiang and Gan separate, with Mandarin divided into Northern, Northwestern, Southwestern and Jiang–Huai (Lower Yangtze) subgroups.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=53–54}}{{sfnp|Norman|1988|pp=181, 191}}
Of Yuan's four Mandarin subgroups, the Northwestern dialects are the most diverse, particularly in the province of [[Shanxi]].{{sfnp|Norman|1988|p=191}} The linguist [[Li Rong (linguist)|Li Rong]] proposed that the northwestern dialects of Shanxi and neighbouring areas that retain a final glottal stop in the Middle Chinese [[entering tone]] (plosive-final) category should constitute a separate top-level group called [[Jin Chinese|Jin]].{{sfnp|Yan|2006|p=61}} He used this classification in the ''[[Language Atlas of China]]'' (1987).{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987}} Many other linguists continue to include these dialects in the Mandarin group, pointing out that the Lower Yangtze dialects also retain the glottal stop.{{sfnp|Ting|1991|p=190}}{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=55–56, 74–75}}

The southern boundary of the Mandarin area, with the central [[Wu Chinese|Wu]], Gan and Xiang groups, is weakly defined due to centuries of diffusion of northern features. Many border varieties have a mixture of features that make them difficult to classify.
The boundary between Southwestern Mandarin and Xiang is particularly weak,{{sfnp|Norman|1988|p=190}} and in many early classifications the two were not separated.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=41–46}} [[Zhou Zhenhe]] and You Rujie include the [[New Xiang]] dialects within Southwestern Mandarin, treating only the more conservative [[Old Xiang]] dialects as a separate group.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|p=55}}
The [[Huizhou Chinese|Huizhou]] dialects have features of both Mandarin and Wu, and have been assigned to one or other of these groups or treated as separate by various authors. Li Rong and the ''Language Atlas of China'' treated it as a separate top-level group, but this remains controversial.{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=75–76}}{{sfnp|Yan|2006|pp=222–223}}

=== Subgroups ===
[[File:Mandarin subgroups and Jin group.png|thumb|right|upright=1.65|Distribution of the eight subgroups of Mandarin plus [[Jin Chinese]], which many linguists include as part of Mandarin, according to the ''[[Language Atlas of China]]'' (1987){{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Map A2}}]]
The ''Language Atlas of China'' calls the remainder of Mandarin a "supergroup", divided into eight dialect groups distinguished by their treatment of the Middle Chinese entering tone (see [[#Tones|Tones]] below):{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|p=75}}{{efn|Speaker numbers are rounded to the nearest million from figures in the revised edition of the ''Language Atlas of China''.{{sfnp|Chinese Academy of Social Sciences|2012|p=3}}}}

* [[Northeastern Mandarin]] (98 million), spoken in [[northeast China]] except the [[Liaodong Peninsula]].{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Map B1}} This dialect is closely related to Standard Chinese, with little variation in lexicon and very few tonal differences.
* [[Beijing Mandarin (division of Mandarin)|Beijing Mandarin]] (27 million), spoken in Beijing and environs such as [[Chengde]] and northern [[Hebei]], as well as some areas of recent large-scale immigration, such as northern [[Xinjiang]].{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Maps B2, B5}} The Beijing dialect forms the basis of Standard Chinese. This classification is controversial, as a number of researchers view Beijing and Northeastern Mandarin as a single dialect group.<ref>{{cite book |last1=张世方 |script-title=zh:北京官话语音研究 |date=2010 |publisher=北京语言大学出版社 |isbn=9787561927755 |page=45}}</ref>
* [[Jilu Mandarin]] (89 million), spoken in [[Hebei]] ("Ji") and [[Shandong]] ("Lu") provinces except the [[Shandong Peninsula]], as well as in few&nbsp;counties of&nbsp;[[Heilongjiang]], due to migration. Includes [[Tianjin dialect]].{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Map B2}} Tones and vocabulary are markedly different. In general, there is substantial intelligibility with Beijing Mandarin.
* [[Jiaoliao Mandarin]] (35 million), spoken in [[Shandong Peninsula|Shandong]] (Jiaodong) and [[Liaodong Peninsula]]s, as well as in few&nbsp;counties of&nbsp;[[Heilongjiang]], due to migration.{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Maps B1, B3}} Very noticeable tonal changes, different in "flavour" from Ji–Lu Mandarin, but with more variance. There is moderate intelligibility with Beijing.
* [[Central Plains Mandarin]] (186 million), spoken in [[Henan]] province, the central parts of [[Shaanxi]] in the [[Yellow River]] valley, eastern [[Gansu]], as well as southern [[Xinjiang]], due to recent migration.{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Maps B3, B4, B5}} There are significant phonological differences, with partial intelligibility with Beijing. The [[Dungan language]] spoken in [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]] belongs to this group.  Dungan speakers such as the poet [[Iasyr Shivaza]] have reported being understood by speakers of the Beijing dialect, but not vice versa.{{sfnp|Rimsky-Korsakoff Dyer|1977–1978|p=351}}
* [[Lanyin Mandarin]] (17 million), spoken in central and western [[Gansu]] province (with capital [[Lanzhou]]) and [[Ningxia]] autonomous region (with capital [[Yinchuan]]), as well as northern [[Xinjiang]].{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Maps B4, B5}}
* [[Lower Yangtze Mandarin]] (or Jiang–Huai, 86 million), spoken in the parts of [[Jiangsu]] and [[Anhui]] on the north bank of the [[Yangtze]], as well as some areas on the south bank, such as [[Nanjing]] in [[Jiangsu]], [[Jiujiang]] in [[Jiangxi]], etc.{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Map B3}} There are significant phonological and lexical changes to varying degrees, and intelligibility with Beijing is limited. Lower Yangtze Mandarin has been significantly influenced by [[Wu Chinese]].
* [[Southwestern Mandarin]] (260 million), spoken in the provinces of [[Hubei]], [[Sichuan]], [[Guizhou]], [[Yunnan]], and the Mandarin-speaking areas of [[Hunan]], [[Guangxi]] and southern [[Shaanxi]].{{sfnp|Wurm|Li|Baumann|Lee|1987|loc=Maps B4, B6}} There are sharp phonological, lexical, and tonal changes, and intelligibility with Beijing is limited to varying degrees.{{sfnp|Escure|1997|p=144}}{{sfnp|Blum|2001|p=27}}
The ''Atlas'' also includes several unclassified Mandarin dialects spoken in scattered pockets across southeastern China, such as [[Nanping]] in [[Fujian]] and [[Dongfang, Hainan|Dongfang]] on [[Hainan]].{{sfnp|Kurpaska|2010|pp=67–68}}
Another Mandarin variety of uncertain classification is apparently [[Gyami]], recorded in the 19th century in the Tibetan foothills, who the Chinese apparently did not recognize as Chinese.{{sfnp|Mair|1990|pp=5–6}}
Some northwestern Mandarin varieties in the [[Qinghai–Gansu sprachbund]] have undergone drastic changes in phonology, lexicon and grammar.{{sfnp|Janhunen|2007|pp=86–89}}