Passing through the name of the land and village…

Each name is not just a symbol, but contains a historical source, a long story about the aspirations of our ancestors.

Sometimes , when stopping at a place I first know, my heart also stirs with familiar emotions when hearing the name of the place, the thing that the ancestors of that land devoted all their heart and vision to.

Place name, two words that seem administrative and dry, but are the place to store emotions of love for the land and people. Place name is the name of a village, a river, a mountain range or an administrative unit, a public work. But further, it is a part of memory, a living intangible cultural heritage.

Each place name is a “soft stele” in language, deeply imprinted with the era in which it was born. Some places are named after geography: rivers, mountains, fields, passes; some places are named after historical events, associated with a character, a feat. Some village names contain the dream of a peaceful, fulfilling life…

Therefore, it is not by chance that a place name is often formed by beautiful words and lasts over the years. It is the wisdom of the people and the aspiration of many generations of ancestors that have been deposited and formed.

Ong Cop Temple wooden bridge, the boundary between Tuy An Dong commune and Xuan Dai and Song Cau wards, is a place where any tourist wants to check-in at least once in this poetic space.

Studying more closely the place names that are still called every day, written in each article, we can understand the reasons and the deep meanings. As journalist and cultural and historical researcher Phan Thanh Binh said, "each place name is a cultural heritage, a "memorial" in a unique language about the time of its birth. The geographical, historical, cultural characteristics, political and social events of a land are all subtly reflected through place names.

In place names, the three elements of language, society and geography are closely linked together like a tripod. Thanks to the geographical element, place names cling to the land and live permanently there. Even though the old owner has gone far away, even though a new generation has replaced him, even though the language and society have changed, the name is still there, steadfast with the earth and sky.

Our ancestors have placed many aspirations in place names. The homeland of Phu Yen , the land known as the beloved land of Nau, has appeared on the map of the country since 1611, expressing the wishes of our ancestors: to build a rich and peaceful borderland, stable in prosperity. The place name Tuy Hoa also carries the meaning of flexibility and harmony.

Researcher Phan Thanh Binh said that the place name Tuy Hoa was born at the same time as Phu Yen, which was the southernmost border district of Dai Viet at that time. The wish that the ancients conveyed through the place name Tuy Hoa was to try to maintain peace with the indigenous peoples, and join hands to build a new land in the border area.

Looking back at the old pages of history, it shows that the aspirations of our ancestors are clearly shown through the unique historical features of Phu Yen with 32 villages whose names begin with the word Phu, 16 villages with the word An, 14 villages with the word Phuoc, 6 villages with the word Thanh and many villages associated with the words Binh, Dinh, Hoi, My, Tan, Toan...

The names carry faith, hope and wishes for the future. These place names have been deeply engraved in the minds of many generations of residents, are a source of pride, closely connected to each person, and contain the soul of a land through the length of time and the depth of its roots.

Indeed, a place name is not simply a dry administrative name, but carries the soul of the land, the spirit of the land, and the love of the people. That is why when changing the name of a land or homeland, people feel nostalgic and regretful for a part of their memories.

No one grows up without carrying the familiar sounds of their hometown because they are in their mother's lullabies, their father's teachings, and the childhood days spent diving among the fields and sand dunes... That is their homeland!

But thinking more broadly, looking further, even if the name of the province or commune changes, the homeland in us remains unchanged. Once we love the land where we were born, that love will expand, embracing the whole country.

Chua River flows through Nhan Tower, across Hung Vuong Bridge (Tuy Hoa ward) and empties into Da Dien estuary.

In the current context, facing the country's new development requirements, the provinces must unite, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: We must change our thinking and vision, unify our awareness and ideology; overcome regional psychology and mood to move towards a broader thinking and vision - "the country is the homeland".

Suddenly remembering the Literature exam of the 2025 High School Graduation Exam that just took place, a very good exam, both thoughtful and suggestive, full of topicality, with the discussion section: "Every homeland's sky is also the Fatherland's sky". That is the journey from the individual to the common, from the small, familiar homeland's sky to the vast Fatherland's sky, with great ideals and aspirations. And that also makes us understand that there is no Fatherland that does not start from the names of small villages.

Poet Che Lan Vien wrote: When we are here, it is just a place to live/ When we leave, the land suddenly becomes our soul .

The poem sounds simple, but it contains a great philosophy. It is only when we go far away that we understand how precious the place we leave is. A place is not just a place to live, but also a part of our soul, a place that keeps a part of our memories. And from there, we carry with us an aspiration like the soldiers of the past, ready to go anywhere, do anything for the Fatherland.

More than anyone, more than ever, today's youth, the pillars and future owners of the country, need to understand and absorb that.

If there are times when you feel sad when hearing the old village name is no longer there, believe that it is a very human thing. For the development of the country, for the benefit of the nation and people, the name can be changed, but the homeland and the love for the homeland will not change. Because the homeland is where we leave our whole soul, each name of land, each name of village is a source of the sacred Fatherland!

Tran Quoi

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202506/di-qua-ten-dat-ten-lang-ccc2f86/