Xiang Chinese
湘语
The Avatar Mountains of Zhangjiajie, Hunan — the inspiration for James Cameron's Pandora — are in Xiang Chinese-speaking territory! Hunan is also famous for some of China's spiciest food.
Lin says:
Nihao! I'm Lin! Xiang Chinese is spoken in Hunan province — the birthplace of Mao Zedong and the home of some of China's most dramatic scenery! The Avatar Mountains (Zhangjiajie) — those incredible floating pillar mountains that inspired Pandora in the film Avatar — are right here in Hunan! Hunan is also famous for fiery spicy food. Duo xie! (Thank you!)
Quick Facts
Speakers
~36 million
Language Family
Sino-Tibetan (Xiang branch)
Famous For
Zhangjiajie — the Avatar Mountains
Cuisine
Hunan spicy food — one of China's 8 great cuisines
Discover Xiang Chinese
The Avatar Mountains of Zhangjiajie, Hunan — the inspiration for James Cameron's Pandora — are in Xiang Chinese-speaking territory! Hunan is also famous for some of China's spiciest food.
Writing System
Chinese characters
Native Speakers
~36 million
Key Countries
For Educators
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Did You Know?
Mao Zedong — founder of the People's Republic of China — was born in Shaoshan, Hunan, and spoke Xiang Chinese as his mother tongue. His accent in Mandarin was always noticeably Hunanese.
Hunan's Dongting Lake is China's second-largest freshwater lake — and is celebrated in thousands of years of Chinese poetry and painting for its misty, otherworldly beauty.
Hunan is the birthplace of "xiang xi gu" (western Hunan drumming) and silk-weaving traditions that are among China's most ancient arts.
What Makes Xiang Chinese Special?
The Avatar Mountains
Zhangjiajie in Hunan — the landscape of thousands of soaring sandstone pillars shrouded in mist — directly inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains of Pandora in James Cameron's Avatar.
Capital of Spice
Hunan cuisine is one of China's 8 great regional cuisines — known for its fierce, fragrant heat. The Hunanese love of chilli is legendary: even their preserved vegetables are fiery.
Ancient Hunan Culture
Changsha — Hunan's capital — has over 3,000 years of history. The Mawangdui Han tombs discovered there contained the world's best-preserved ancient body (2,100 years old).
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