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In imperial times, Chinese of different regions communicated with each other using written [[Classical Chinese]] (''wényán wén''). By the [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907), spoken and written Chinese had diverged into separate languages. At the end of the Tang, China was divided into northern and southern states. The Mongols conquered both states in the thirteenth century. They treated North China and South China as two units within their larger empire. For example, [[Marco Polo]] writes of "Cathay" (North China) and "Manzi" (South China). He does not use any expression that corresponds to the modern concept of "China." By the time China was reunited by the [[Ming dynasty]] in 1368, North and South had drifted far apart.

In imperial times, Chinese of different regions communicated with each other using written [[Classical Chinese]]. By the [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907), spoken and written Chinese had diverged into separate languages. At the end of the Tang, China was divided into northern and southern states. The Mongols conquered both states in the thirteenth century. They treated North China and South China as two units within their larger empire. For example, [[Marco Polo]] writes of "Cathay" (North China) and "Manzi" (South China). He does not use any expression that corresponds to the modern concept of "China." By the time China was reunited by the [[Ming dynasty]] in 1368, North and South had drifted far apart.

The first Ming emperor selected the speech of Nanjing to serve as the basis of an imperial [[lingua franca]]. This dialect was referred to as ''Guānhuà'', or "officials' speech". The word "Mandarin," first recorded in Portuguese in 1524, refers to a Chinese official. ''Guān'' was translated as "Mandarin," so the word came to refer to the dialect as well.

The first Ming emperor selected the speech of Nanjing to serve as the basis of an imperial [[lingua franca]]. This dialect was referred to as ''Guānhuà'', or "officials' speech". The word "Mandarin," first recorded in Portuguese in 1524, refers to a Chinese official. ''Guān'' was translated as "Mandarin," so the word came to refer to the dialect as well.