What does the name Pha Din Pass mean?

There are many interpretations of the meaning of the name Pha Din Pass; some believe it originates from Chinese, while others assert it comes from the Thai language.

Pha Din Pass is one of Vietnam's "four great mountain passes," along with Ma Pi Leng, Khau Pha, and O Quy Ho. Despite its treacherous terrain, the majestic and magnificent beauty of Pha Din Pass always captivates adventure seekers.

What does Pha Din mean?

Currently, there are still many different explanations for the meaning of the name Pha Din Pass. Some believe that the name Pha Din originates from the Black Thai language, originally "Phạ Đin". "Phạ" means sky, and "Đin" means earth, implying that the pass, shrouded in white clouds, is a place where heaven and earth meet and intersect. The Thai people living around the foot of the pass often call out "Phạ ơi" (Oh, heaven!).

However, some researchers explain that the name "Pha Din" originates from Chinese. "Pha" refers to a high, vertical cliff...

Pha Din Pass. (Photo: VNA)

In the Petrotimes newspaper, scholar An Chi stated his opinion: Indeed, the Chinese language has a word pronounced "pha" in Sino-Vietnamese, meaning hillside, mountainside, or sloping land; and another word "pha" meaning rocky mountainside. Ultimately, these are two words of the same origin (same root), but neither has any etymological connection to the word "pha" in the place name "Pha Đin". In the Northwest region, if it's a Sino-Vietnamese place name, it was created by the Kinh (Vietnamese) people, while "Pha Đin" is a place name in the Thai language.

According to scholar An Chi, the Thai people have a linguistic habit of using the word "pha" immediately before proper names to refer to steep cliffs such as: Pha Li, Pha To, Pha Dam, Pha Deng, Pha Ha, Pha Luong...

But if "Pha" here means cliff, then what does "Din" mean? "Din" means "earth." "Din danh" means clay; "din dam" means black earth; "din ha" means alluvial soil; "din hua" means wasteland; "din xai" means sandy soil... So "Pha Din" means "earth cliff."

Pha Din Pass is a cliff in a red soil mountainous region, prone to landslides during the rainy season, unlike the solid limestone cliffs of other mountains in the area. This is a characteristic geological feature of the Pha Din Pass region. It is surrounded by cliffs; it stands alone as a "wall of earth".

Many people liken Pha Din Pass to a long rope connecting the mountains and hillsides together. (Photo: VS).

What are the beautiful features of Pha Din Pass?

Pha Din Pass is located about 100km from Dien Bien Phu city in Dien Bien province. Situated at an altitude of 1,000m above sea level, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the winding roads, with sharp bends and dangerous high mountain gorges, but also many beautiful and romantic landscapes.

Many people liken Pha Din Pass, with its length of about 32 meters, to a rope connecting the mountains and hillsides, suspended between the surrounding land and sky.

Springtime at Pha Din Pass. (Photo: kinhtemoitruong).

In summer, the weather at Pha Din Pass is quite cool and pleasant, with lingering mist after a long night. In winter, the temperature drops low enough to give people the characteristic biting chill of the high mountains. Looking down from above, the swirling mists resemble a magnificent work of nature. In the distant valley below are peaceful villages, with glimpses of stilt houses and lush green rice and corn fields.

When spring arrives, the wildflowers of Northwest Vietnam bloom in vibrant colors—the white of apricot and plum blossoms, the reddish-pink of peach blossoms, and the pale pink of bauhinia flowers—painting a poetic picture across the mountain slopes.

According to VTC

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ten-goi-deo-pha-din-co-y-nghia-gi-a466700.html