Min Bei
Encyclopedia
The Min-Bei language, or Northern Min is a collection of dialects of Min spoken in Nanping
Prefecture of northwestern Fujian
which, apart from Shao-Jiang Min, are mutually intelligible.
The Chinese languages of Fujian
province were traditionally divided into Min-Bei (Northern) and Min-Nan (Southern). However, dialectologists
now divide Min more finely. By this narrower definition, Northern Min covers the dialects of Shibei (in Pucheng County
), Chong'an (in Wuyishan City), Xingtian (in Wuyishan City), Wufu (in Wuyishan City), Zhenghe (in Zhenghe County
), Zhengqian (in Zhenghe County
), Jianyang
and Jian'ou
.
The dialects of eastern Nanping
are sometimes split off as a separate division of Min, Shao-Jiang.
Nanping
Nanping is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Ningde City to the east, Sanming City to the south, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangxi to the north and west respectively...
Prefecture of northwestern Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
which, apart from Shao-Jiang Min, are mutually intelligible.
The Chinese languages of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province were traditionally divided into Min-Bei (Northern) and Min-Nan (Southern). However, dialectologists
Dialectology
Dialectology is the scientific study of linguistic dialect, a sub-field of sociolinguistics. It studies variations in language based primarily on geographic distribution and their associated features...
now divide Min more finely. By this narrower definition, Northern Min covers the dialects of Shibei (in Pucheng County
Pucheng County, Fujian
*There is a similarly-romanised Pucheng County in the municipal region of Weinan, ShaanxiPucheng County is a county under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Nanping, in northernmost Fujian province....
), Chong'an (in Wuyishan City), Xingtian (in Wuyishan City), Wufu (in Wuyishan City), Zhenghe (in Zhenghe County
Zhenghe County
Zhenghe County is a county of Fujian Province, China. It is under the administration of Nanping city....
), Zhengqian (in Zhenghe County
Zhenghe County
Zhenghe County is a county of Fujian Province, China. It is under the administration of Nanping city....
), Jianyang
Jianyang
Jianyang is a county-level city in Nanping prefecture in the northern part of Fujian province of the People's Republic of China.Jianyang has rich natural resources: bamboo, tea and water power.-History:...
and Jian'ou
Jian'ou
Jian'ou 【; Minbe di: Guing'ei 】 is a county-level city of Fujian province of the People's Republic of China.Jian'ou is within a major rice-growing area...
.
The dialects of eastern Nanping
Nanping
Nanping is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Ningde City to the east, Sanming City to the south, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangxi to the north and west respectively...
are sometimes split off as a separate division of Min, Shao-Jiang.