Join the supporters of the Stop Global Warming Virtual March
AddThis Social Bookmark Button
17
Dec
2009
Shaanxi's diversity E-mail
City Life - Culture
Written by Alice Manfeng Zhao
Local Xi'anese in general naturally prefer to communicate in their own dialect (Guanzhong Hua) rather than in Mandarin. You can easily hear people bargaining in the market in Guanzhong hua, or taxi drivers, close local friends or colleagues who chat with you in their own dialect. Unlike Shanghai (the Shanghainese dialect sounds like a foreign language to most outsiders), Xi’an is a truly ancient city located in the so-called rural western part of China.

The chinese government has been strongly promoting the use of Mandarin nationwide for reasons of -for example- attracting investors to move -especially- to its developing western provinces and to ease the process and sees regional dialects and differences more or less as a disturbing element in the development process. But their efforts here seems not to work out so well.

Located in the centre of the so called Guanzhong Plain, Xi’an is surrounded by many smaller cities: Xianyang (now a part of Xi’an), Yangling, Tongchuan, Weinan, Baoji, Shangluo and others. All of them share a similar dialect.

When the provincial government constructed giant high-ways to connect all these cities to a kind of one single "big economical development zone", they may have forgotten how much the dialect and cultural diversity and exchanges in Shaanxi and Xi'ans own language has contributed to the whole development process.

A similar language is helpful for  the economic exchange between similar cultures, as it is believed. This general idea successfully boosted the provincial economy by efficient inter-city contacts. Maybe the government should appreciate the failure in promoting and establishing Mandarin as the only intented main language who eases the development.

You may say that if Mandarin would have been promoted more successfully among provinces, it could have contributed more to the development! But wait, it is not that easy: The northern and southern Shaanxi dialects are very different from Guanzhong Hua. And those three areas even have a couple of different customs! In the north, an area with ice cold winters, people often speak a kind of "nasal language" and they are culturally more close and oriented to the northern chinese provinces like Inner Mongolia and Shanxi.

While in south Shaanxi -which is close to the Yangtse River and the mountains- people speak a dialect which is different too and similar to the dialect spoken in Sichuan.

Those in central Shaanxi (Xi'an) who are known as so called "Guanzhong", share features with those above and Xi'an in particular acts as an economical centre.

One example is one of the most popular local newspapers in Xi'an: The "Chinese Business View (Hua Shang Bao)". Once a typical Xi'an only boulevard newspaper, the increasing number of advertising customers from outside the Xi'an city area and far areas of Shaanxi reached such a percentage that they could not be ignored anymore. Today Hua Shang Bao is more a mirror and good example of a modern culturally diverse and rich Shaanxi province.

Preserving own dialects might leave some outsiders the impression of perhaps indifference and exclusiveness. Shanghai for example values its own dialect very much but has a different approach of handling influences. What about Xi’an? Maybe Xi’anese will find a balance between their love for their own dialect and customs and embrace incoming influences from outside at the same time? Yes! They certainly will and a walk through Xi'an proves it beyond doubt. The ancient city on the world famous silk road was and is a melting point between east and west and cultural diversity and dialects are the best example for it.
Our valuable Editor Alice Manfeng Zhao has been with us since Thursday, 17 December 2009.

Show Other Articles Of This Author

Do you have a story to share? Do you want to be a ND Author? Send your own story, write about family, friends, life in Xi'an, business, real estate, education, travel, entertainment, write a review, suggest a column and more! In any language! Please include at least one picture about your story if possible, your name, email address, blog-/web-address, so we can give you credit. Go ahead, click here: Submit your Story now and we will publish it and list you as a ND contributor! Alternatively you can send us your story to: xianstories@newdynasty.com.cn

Add comment


More Articles in this Category

Latest Articles in Culture

NEW DYNASTY TV - Xi'an Reports, Interviews and Movies

ND TV - Premier Web TV Reports, Interviews, Movies about Expats and Locals in Xi'an/China! This is UNIQUE in Xi'an!

ND proudly presents: Xi'an Models Volume 1

Xi'an Models

Advertisement

RECOMMENDED LINKS  
MANGO - Women's Collection
HaoHao - China Stories		 Silk Road International (SRI)

Watch Great Movies Online - Right here on ND - For Free!

Watch Great Movies Online - Right here on ND - For Free!

New Dynasty Comics


We want you! - 加入我们!

We're currently looking for some down to earth people who can spare a little time each week to write about anything related to Xi'an and China, who are eager to share stories, news, insight info and be a part of the most sophisticated and fastest growing Digital Magazine in Xi'an. Whether you're young or old, we'd like to hear from you. Click for more info.

High-End Model Photography

Editorials

Xi'an goes digital
To all readers, subscribers, friends: Welcome to Xi'ans most sophisticated, multilingual digital magazine. We are excited to offer you from today on, 15. June 2009, a new and superior kind of publication in Xi'an and a refreshing new concept. Of course, as with any technology-related... Click here to read the full story!

Skype ND!

Skype ND!

Featured Website

¡XABOO! is a brand new interactive Community Platform for Locals and Expatriates in Xi'an (China).¡XABOO! is an interactive Community Platform for Locals and Expatriates in Xi'an. Click here & register now!

Editor Team

We have a team that works on the articles presented on ND. Please contact us if  you are interested in helping us out with the creation of articles or researching information in Xi'an. Contact:  info@newdynasty.com.cn

Post translation

ND has readers from all over the world and in several languages. If you translate one of our articles please let us know so we can add a link at the original article! Your site and name will be posted as well. Thanks!

Restaurants

article thumbnail Tuscany Restaurant

We are a family owned restaurant and take pride in everything we do. From the fine ingredients we use to the wines we carry, you...

ND Digital Magazine Xi'an - Subscribe now!

ND Digital Magazine Sample Cover
*Sample Image

Hotels

article thumbnail Grand Noble Xi'an

The hotel has 428 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, a full range of dining, recreational and conference facilities. ...

ND on your Mobile Phone Browser - Coming soon

ND Mobile v1.0 is online! Browse ND's eMag with your mobile device by typing the address m.newdynasty.com.cn in the browser of your device or be auto-redirected to our mobile site by typing newdynasty.com.cn. You can read our articles, watch ND TV and more even better in the future with your iphone, android etc. Stay tuned. Click here for more Info or here if you want to report a bug.