Some scholars consider it to be an extension of Ping Chinese (Pinghua) in Guangxi.
Others consider it to have a foundation in Song dynasty-era Middle Gan, mixed with Hakka, Cantonese, and Southwestern Mandarin.
[6][full citation needed][1] Li & Zhuang (2009) cover the following dialects of Shaoguan Tuhua.
[7] Zhang Shuangqing (2004) covers five dialects of Lianzhou Tuhua (连州土话).
[8] Tuhua is retreating before Mandarin, Cantonese and Hakka and is found in rural dialect islands in the northern Guangdong counties of Lechang, Renhua, Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Qujiang, Nanxiong, Zhenjiang, Wujiang (parts of Shaoguan prefecture-level city), and Lianzhou and Liannan Yao Autonomous County in Qingyuan prefecture-level city.