Which language do many Han people in Hunan speak?

The majority of the Han population in Hunan province speaks the Xiang language, which is also referred to as Hunanese.12

This language is categorized into two primary varieties:

• New Xiang: Spoken predominantly in the region around Changsha, the provincial capital. This variety has been heavily influenced by Mandarin Chinese.13
• Old Xiang: Spoken in other areas of the province, such as Shuangfeng. It shares several characteristics with the Wu language and is noted for having a high number of initial consonants.13

While local dialects can vary significantly, the influence of radio broadcasting has contributed to a gradual reduction in these differences over time.2