Composition and distribution of Jintan dialect

The dialects in Jintan area are mainly composed of local dialect and Subei dialect, among which the local dialect is Jintan dialect, which belongs to Piling (Changzhou) piece of Wu dialect in Taihu Lake, and Subei dialect was brought to Jintan by immigrants from Subei after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom War, which belongs to Hong Chao piece of Jianghuai Mandarin.

Jintan has jurisdiction over Jincheng [including Hetou, Baita, Taoxi (formed by the merger of Taoxi and Suduyuan towns) and four towns of Chengdong, Chengxi, Houyang and Bailongdang], Yaotang [including Tangzhuang, Shuibeiyuan town (including Yantouyuan town)], Rulin (including Wuyeyuan town) and Xi Zhi. Seven towns, covering an area of 976.7 square kilometers, had a population of 5411at the end of 2005.

Local dialect:

Jintan dialect belongs to Piling (Changzhou) patch of Taihu Lake in Wu dialect, which is mainly distributed in most eastern towns and villages, such as Jincheng, Hetou, Baita, Taoxi, Sudu, Qian Zhi, Chengdong, Chengxi, Houyang, Bailongdang, Yaotang, Tangzhuang, Shuibei, Yantou, Rulin, Wu Ye, Dengguan and Xiyang.

Immigrant dialect:

(1) Subei dialect belongs to Hong Chao dialect of Jianghuai Mandarin, which is mainly distributed in most western towns such as Xi Zhi, Jianchang, Zhu Lin, Xigang, Tangwang, Shetou, Xuebu, Maolu, Huashan and Luocun, as well as parts of Jincheng, Taoxi, Qian Zhi, Chengdong, Chengxi, Dengguan and Xiyang.

② Henan dialect. Some villagers in Chigang, Jinshan, Shangruan, Shanpeng, Xiyang, Xuzhuang and Huacun in Luocun Township speak Henan dialect.

(3) Hubei dialect, some villagers in the village committees such as Jinshan in Luocun Township speak Hubei dialect.

(4) Wenzhou dialect Some villagers in the village committees of Jinshan, Xuzhuang, Shen Xia, Chigang and Changshan in Luocun Township speak Wenzhou dialect.