"Maybe Putonghua is a good enough shorthand for us to begin to grasp the complexity of the linguistic reality in China. Maybe it is the most useful, being the lingua franca, the link bridging each dialect together, one that helps a traveler or student see a more cohesive whole. But are we missing something by using that shorthand?"
More: http://bit.ly/2dOUOO7
Source: digmandarin.com