Change of place name - The name may be different, but the land remains the same.

1. For everyone, place names are not just administrative names or state regulations, but are also linked to memories. People always feel a lot of affection for those places, simply because they are their birthplace, where they grew up and matured; from the moment they learn to speak, those place names have been closely associated with them, from introducing themselves as their hometown to being recorded on official documents…

Yet, there were times when those place names changed, rearranged, and the boundaries of different regions merged. We approved of this out of a conscious effort towards synchronized development throughout the country, but deep down, we still had some reservations.

So, what do we think about this change?

2. In my opinion, that's just normal; changes have occurred not just now, but hundreds, even thousands of years ago. For example, we can find traces of that ancient history in folk songs and proverbs. For instance, in Nam Dinh there's the saying: "Van Cu's chickens, Long Dien's wealth, Phu Hau's money," or in Ba Vi district (Ha Tay) there's the saying: "Tri Lai Lake, the cloth gate, Na's bell tower..." But where exactly is it now? How can we determine it precisely? When rereading "Ancient Gia Dinh Landscape," we encounter: "In Cay Go village, houses next door have beams and pillars / Outside Cay Vong market, fences are made of thorny roots / Looking towards Kinh Moi, it's like a line stretched across the earth / Going to Cho Hom market, arriving just as the sun sets."

Even among the oldest residents, how many can now accurately pinpoint the location of the villages and markets mentioned above? Imagine if we lived during that time, when the Ruột Ngựa Canal was renamed Kinh Mới (New Canal)—what would our feelings be like? At the end of the 19th century, Mr. Trương Vĩnh Ký stated that Kinh Mới was: “The Ruột Ngựa Canal, dug straight through Rạch Cát. Chợ Hôm was the old market outside the tamarind tree near Bánh Nghệ (a cool tamarind tree) in Xóm Bột, on the road leading out to Chợ Lớn.” That's what we know from reading it, but how can we know the details more specifically?

Actually, regarding the Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City area, let's first talk about the place name Phiên An. The story from Phiên An to Gia Định is a long one. In the Gia Định Thành Thông Chí, in the section on "The entire city's boundaries" of the provinces, we know that Phiên An province was located north of Biên Hòa, within the geographical area from the Thủ Đức River to the Bến Nghé River, circling down to the Nhà Bè junction, and straight to the Cần Giờ estuary. Initially called Dinh Phiên Trấn, in 1808 King Gia Long changed it to Phiên An province – which is the area of ​​present-day Saigon. Today, how many people remember Phiên An province?

Then, when the French colonialists came to our country: The Frenchman stretched barbed wire, and when drawing maps of Vietnam, things changed. The map of Gia Dinh Bay shows: Binh Duong and Tan Long district/ Established as cities, one inside, one outside/ Saigon - Cholon divided into two/ The names are different, but the land is connected.

If Mr. Truong Vinh Ky hadn't added this note, we would be mistaken: "The land of Binh Duong is Saigon, now established as a city according to Western regulations. Tan Long district is where Cho Lon is now established as a city according to Western regulations." The land is connected, even if it has a different name, because it is still connected by road. Regardless, we still vividly remember the sentiment of our ancestors: "The Nha Be river flows and divides in two / Whoever goes to Gia Dinh or Dong Nai , let them go."

By reasoning, old names disappear, are replaced by new ones, and over time people become accustomed to them. So, are old place names erased from the community's memory? Not at all. Future generations can still find them in folk songs, proverbs, ancient poems and literary works, or from research studies. For example, to date, we have valuable studies such as "Names of Vietnamese Villages and Communes in the Early 19th Century (in provinces from Nghe Tinh onwards)" by the Institute of Han Nom Studies, "Changes in Place Names and Boundaries of Vietnam (1945-2002)" by researcher Nguyen Quang An (Institute of History), or research works on the Land Registers of the Six Provinces of Southern Vietnam and the Land Registers of the Nguyen Dynasty by historian Nguyen Dinh Dau… Therefore, no matter how much they change, future generations will still know about them if they truly care.

The Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe Canal: A gentle touch amidst the modern city. Photo: HOANG HUNG

3. Even knowing this, do we, as contemporary citizens, feel a sense of "disappointment"? I think so, because, as mentioned, those places belong to memory. However, if we calmly look back, we will see that many traces of the past remain, deeply imprinted in our minds.

To be clear, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has issued Resolution No. 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the rearrangement of commune-level administrative units in Ho Chi Minh City by 2025. After the rearrangement, Ho Chi Minh City will have 168 commune-level administrative units, including 113 wards, 54 communes, and 1 special zone; of which 112 wards, 50 communes, 1 special zone, and 5 commune-level administrative units will not be rearranged: Thoi Hoa ward, Long Son, Hoa Hiep, Binh Chau, and Thanh An communes. Does this mean all the old place names have disappeared? No. They still remain.

Within the scope of this short article, allow me to only briefly touch upon it. For example, the place name Thu Duc still exists today. Why does it have this name? I dare not assert, but I know that ancient texts recount that in the past, there was a tomb here dedicated to the local tutelary deity, "Mr. Ta Huy, also known as Thu Duc, a founding ancestor of Linh Chieu Dong village," with a stele erected in 1890. Once this detail is remembered, the name Thu Duc itself serves as a reminder to future generations to live righteously and not betray the efforts of their ancestors in reclaiming and developing the land.

District 1 still retains place names like Tan Dinh, Ben Thanh, Saigon, and Ong Lanh Bridge. Depending on individual life experiences, each person has different "material" in their thinking, which further enriches the vitality of that land. For me, although I wasn't born here, I have a very special affection for the name Ong Lanh Bridge, because Ong Lanh refers to Commander Thang, whose real name was Nguyen Ngoc Thang (1798-1866), who was revered by the people of Saigon as a deity at Nhon Hoa Temple (27 Co Giang Street, Ho Chi Minh City). In the early days of resistance against the French invasion, after the death of General Truong Dinh, Commander Thang bravely led his troops in heroic battles on the right bank of the Soai Rap River to Cua Tieu. In the battle on June 27, 1866, he was wounded and died. The resistance fighters broke through the enemy's encirclement to bring the remains of this steadfast commander back to his hometown in Ben Tre for burial. How could we not have a soft spot for the name Cau Ong Lanh ward?

District 3 also has landmarks like Ban Co (Chessboard) and Nhieu Loc… I believe that just mentioning them immediately brings back countless cherished memories. Is it called Ban Co because the street layout resembles a chessboard? Researchers say so. As for Nhieu Loc, it's unclear if the name comes from Mr. Loc, who came from Nhieu Hoc (the title of the top student in the imperial examination), similar to the names of Nhieu Tam and Nhieu Tu streets. While not as definitive as the researchers, everyone is proud that this is one of the hallmarks of the post-1975 renovation project – when the State and people successfully implemented the Nhieu Loc canal improvement project.

In District 4, there are also familiar places like Vinh Hoi, Khanh Hoi, and Xom Chieu. "Oh... oh..., my work is so hard, enduring rain and sun. I won't sell this mat, I can't find you, oh... oh... I use it as a pillow every night." While this folk song was written by People's Artist Vien Chau about Ca Mau mats, singing it in Xom Chieu still fits the scene perfectly, doesn't it? This place used to be a swampy area with many sedges and rushes, giving rise to the mat weaving craft and its name. Just knowing this much evokes fond memories of a familiar land.

District 5 also has familiar places like Cho Quan, An Dong, and Hoa Hung. I don't know the exact names, but I think the name Cho Quan has existed for a very long time: "Though hammocks swaying in the open at Dieu Khien Market / Officials and soldiers bustling at Kham Sai Bridge / Going to Cho Quan and Ben Nghe / Down to Nha Be and up to Dong Nai." The scenery of the bay in Co Gia Dinh is described in great detail. However, we are still wondering why it's called Cho Quan; did that mean there used to be many shops/stalls in the market? This is just speculation; I'll leave the specifics to researchers.

4. Overall, in the list of 168 administrative units at the ward, commune, and special zone levels, we see that many long-standing names have been retained. This detail shows that memory is not broken or erased. When hearing these names, everyone can share their personal feelings; how they think and understand them is up to each individual, and it doesn't necessarily require a thorough, scientific analysis or precise research. This is normal, because loving a place name or a region is always a matter of personal memory. This is also a factor that makes residents more attached, dedicated, and grateful to the land that has nurtured their lives over the years.

LE MINH QUOC

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thay-doi-dia-danh-ten-thi-co-khac-dat-thi-cung-lien-post801888.html