Why did the Wu dialect area in ancient Jiangsu reach the Huaihe River, and now it has become Jianghuai Mandarin?

Chu in Han Dynasty was a big dialect area, which developed eastward and was formed in Jiangsu Wu dialect. At that time, Wu dialect was widely distributed, including Jiangnan, Yangzhou, Taizhou, Nantong and other jiangbei cities in Jiangsu today. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, nomadic people moved south, the northern Central Plains moved to Jianghuai to escape the war, and the army also settled in Jianghuai area. In addition, the royal family in the Song Dynasty moved southward, and the economic center of Jiankang, the capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, moved southward, bringing the northern dialect to the Jianghuai area and producing the Jianghuai dialect. Nanjing was the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and Jianghuai dialect gained the status of Mandarin, which is called Jianghuai Mandarin.

The oldest Wu dialect is closer to ancient Chinese and retains many quaint sounds, so it is also called Wu Nong Soft Language. Wu dialect does give people a feeling that "Wu wine and a cup of spring bamboo leaves, Wu Nong's soft words are drunk with hibiscus". This feeling. Jianghuai dialect became the official language of Nanjing, directly crossing the Huaihe River into Jiangsu Province, and became the language of communication. This is because the diversity of Nanjing history has created the character of Nanjing people and further formed the style of Nanjing dialect.

With the improvement of Putonghua level in Jiangsu Province and the development of a large number of foreigners coming to Suzhou, Nanning and other cities, the frequency of using Wu dialect in Jiangsu Province has gradually decreased. According to a survey conducted by an institution in Suzhou, 70% of primary and middle school students in Suzhou rarely use Wu language, while less than 20% are proficient in Wu language.

At present, Jiangsu province has done a lot of work in dialect protection and thought from many aspects. For example, the bus station in Suzhou resumed the Wuyu station, and Suzhou TV station also broadcast some good Wuyu programs such as Comment on Li Gang, Shibin Liaozhai and Awan Teahouse. Judging from the evolution of initials, Jianghuai Mandarin conforms to the evolution of Mandarin dialects. Most of them do not distinguish NL, L, R, and there is no zhchsh group.