Editing Anhui (section)

==Culture==
Anhui spans many geographical and cultural regions. The northern, flatter parts of the province, along the [[Huai River]] and further north, are most akin to neighboring provinces like [[Henan]], [[Shandong]] and northern [[Jiangsu]]. In contrast, the southern, hilly parts of the province are more similar in culture and dialect to other southern, hilly provinces, like [[Zhejiang]] and [[Jiangxi]].

[[Mandarin dialects]] are spoken over the northern and central parts of the province, north of the Yangtze river. Dialects to the north (e.g. [[Bengbu dialect]]) are classified as [[Zhongyuan Mandarin]], together with dialects in provinces such as Henan and Shandong; dialects in the central parts (e.g. [[Hefei dialect]]) are classified as [[Jianghuai Mandarin]], together with dialects in the central parts of neighboring [[Jiangsu]] province. Non-Mandarin dialects are spoken to the south of the Yangzi: dialects of [[Wu Chinese|Wu]] are spoken in [[Xuancheng]] [[prefecture-level city]], though these are rapidly being replaced by Jianghuai Mandarin; dialects of [[Gan Chinese|Gan]] are spoken in a few counties in the southwest bordering Jiangxi province;<ref>{{cite book
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K4undxTsMmIC&pg=PA437
 | title=China
 | year=2009
 | author1=Damian Harper
 | author2=Chung Wah Chow
 | author3=David Eimer
 | author4=Thomas Huhti
 | author5=Carolyn B. Heller
 | author6=Robert Kelly
 | publisher=Lonely Planet
 | edition=11, illustrated
 | isbn=978-1-74104-866-7
 | page=437
 | access-date=23 September 2011
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424210155/https://books.google.com/books?id=K4undxTsMmIC&pg=PA437
 | archive-date=24 April 2016
 | url-status=live
 }}</ref> and the [[Huizhou Chinese|Huizhou dialects]] are spoken in about ten counties in the far south, a small but highly diverse and unique group of Chinese dialects.

[[Huangmeixi]], which originated in the environs of [[Anqing]] in southwestern Anhui, is a form of traditional [[Chinese opera]] popular across China. [[Huiju]], a form of traditional opera originating in the [[Huizhou Chinese|Huizhou]]-speaking areas of southern Anhui, is one of the major precursors of [[Beijing Opera]]; in the 1950s, Huiju (which had disappeared) was revived. [[Lu opera|Luju]] is a type of traditional opera found across central Anhui, from east to west.

[[Anhui cuisine]] is one of the eight great traditions of [[Chinese cuisine]]. Combining elements of cooking from northern Anhui, south-central Anhui, and the Huizhou-speaking areas of southern Anhui, Anhui cuisine is known for its use of wild game and herbs, both land and sea, and comparatively simple methods of preparation.

Anhui has a high concentration of traditional products related to calligraphy: Xuanzhou (today [[Xuancheng]]) and Huizhou (today [[Huangshan City]]) are revered for producing [[Xuan Paper]] and Hui [[Inkstick|Ink]] respectively, which are traditionally considered the best types of paper and ink for [[Calligraphy|Chinese calligraphy]]. [[She County, Anhui|She County]] is famous for the [[She Inkstone]], one of the most preferred types of [[inkstone]]s (a required tool in traditional calligraphy). {{citation needed|date=November 2015}}