The place-names of Dong Anh = Địa danh Đông Anh

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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HANOI
INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCE




NGUYEN THI SUOI LINH



THE PLACE – NAMES OF DONG ANH



MASTER THESIS ON VIETNAMESE STUDIES
Code: 60 31 60

THE SUMMARY OF MASTER THESIS
Major: VIETNAMESE STUDIES

HANOI - 2012







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The thesis was completed at
Institute of Vietnamese study and development science

Surpervisor : Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Viet Thanh

Reviever 1: ……………………………………………………………………

Reviever 2: …………………………………………………………………….






The thesis was protected at the scoring master thesis council
At,

You can read it at: Library and information Center Vietnam Nation
University, Hanoi








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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTROUDUCTION Error! Bookmark not defined.
1. Reason for choosing the theme Error! Bookmark not defined.
2. Purpose of research Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Research tasks Error! Bookmark not defined.
4. Object and scope of research Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. History of reseach……… ………………………………………………………9
6. Research method……… ……………………………………………………………12
7. Contributions of the thesis Error! Bookmark not defined.
8. Thesis composition Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 1: GENERAL ISSUES OF PLACE-NAME ANDError! Bookmark not defined.
THE PLACE –NAMES OF DONG ANH Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.1. General theories of place-name Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1.1. Concept Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1.2. Some features about place-name identification Error! Bookmark not
defined.
1.1.3. Place-name classification Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2. Overview of research area Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3. Principles of surveying, classifying the place-names of Dong anh Error!
Bookmark not defined.
1.3.1. Principle of surveying Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3.2. Principles of classifying the place-names of Dong AnhError! Bookmark not
defined.
1.4. General picture of the place-names of Dong AnhError! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 2: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLACE-NAMES OF DONG ANH
DISTRICT Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1. Characteristic of language origin Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.1. Place-names with pure Vietnamese origin Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.1.2. Group of Sino-Vietnamese origin place-names Error! Bookmark not
defined.


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2.1.3. Group of foreign language origin place-names Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.1.5. Group of number place-names Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.6. Group of undefined origin place-names Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2. Composition characteristics of place-names of Dong AnhError! Bookmark not
defined.
2.1.1. Overview of place-name complex Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.2. Place-name complex model of ng Anh Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.3. Meaning characteristic of place-names of Dong Anh Error! Bookmark not
defined.
2.3.1. General Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3.2. Identification methods of place-names of Dong Anh Error! Bookmark not
defined.
CHAPTER 3: PLACE NAMES IN DONG ANH IN RELATIONSHIP WITH
HISTORY AND CULTURE Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1. Place – name – key for explaining the historical and cultural issues Error!
Bookmark not defined.
3.2. Historical hallmark in Dong Anh place-names . Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.1. Dong Anh - an ancient land region Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.2.The place–names of Dong Anh are is evidence of historical ages Error!
Bookmark not defined.
3.2.3. Process of changing Dong Anh place-names reflecting the step of history . Error!
Bookmark not defined.
3.2.4. Place-names carrying name of person or name of historical event, historical
place-name Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3. Cultural features of Dong Anh place-name Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3.1. Cultural-geological issue Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3.2. Aspects of cultural life presented through place-nameError! Bookmark not
defined.
CONCLUSION Error! Bookmark not defined.
REFERENCES Error! Bookmark not defined.
APPENDIX Error! Bookmark not defined.




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INTROUDUCTION
1. Reason for choosing the theme
1.1. According to the common way of understanding, the place-name is the name of natural
topography, construction works, administrative units, territories, object of concern of many fields of
science such as history, geography, ethnology, cultural studies
1.2. Learning about the place-name is the topic segment that is concerned by many
researchers, not only linguists. The place-name is not only the name of a specific object but also the
historical, cultural sediments, factors belonging to the lifestyle, customs and habits of each region,
smaller it is each district, each commune, even each hamlet, each village. The formation,
development, existence or change and loss in which a place-name often attaches to a cultural reason
or certain historical event. Therefore, the research on place-name not only has linguistic
significance but also brings about abundant data sources with reliable scientific foundation to many
other branches of science.
1.3. Dong Anh is a suburb district in the northeast of Hanoi city. The whole district has an
area, including 1 townlet and 23 communes. The inhabitants here are relatively homogeneous about

the ethnic component. It may be said that, the villages and communes in Dong Anh are quite typical
for the traditional village and commune model of the Vietnamese in the Northern part about the
organizational structure, production mode, social institution as well as many other aspects of the
material and spiritual cultural life, including language. This is also the ancient land region with age-
old history, famous with Co Loa relic area and related cultural micro-systems. The general research


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of Dong Anh place-name will bring about the scientific values of language, history, culture in the
locality in particular and of Hanoi in general.
1.4. With desire to learn about relatively completely and systematically the place-names in
Dong Anh district according to the interdisciplinary research method to show their characteristics,
formation model, development, transformation law as well as crystallized historical, cultural values
after each name of village, commune, pagoda, mountain and river, road, market …we have chosen
the theme “The place – names of Dong Anh” for our doctorial thesis.
2. Purpose of research
- Research the pace-name in Dong Anh in the aspects: composition characteristics,
identification method, semantic characteristics, original characteristics and transformation of place-
name.
- Clarify the relationship between place-name and related fields such as: history, geography,
ethnicity, culture, popular legend
- Through the relationship between place-name and related non-language factors, the thesis
aims to discover, affirm the historical and cultural values on Dong Anh land.
3. Research tasks
The thesis performs the following tasks:
- Study the theoretical issues of place-name related to the research process.
- Countryside, survey the reality of place-name system in Dong Anh.
- Statistics, describe and analyze the data to draw the comments on composition,
identification method, language origin and meaning of factors that constitute Dong Anh place-
name.

- From the place-name linguistic data source, decode the issues of geography, history, culture.
4. Object and scope of research
4.1. Object of research
- The object of research of the thesis is the natural and human, administrative and non-
administrative place-names in Dong Anh district, including the names that are in use at present or
existed in the past.
4.2. Scope of study
- The scope of research of the thesis is the place-name in the whole district, including 23
communes and 1 townlet. However, because the number of place-names is too large, we only
research over 1288 place-names collected by the thesis.
5. History of research issue
As a real science subject, Vietnamese toponymy was formed and developed for a short time
(about in the middle of the 20
th
century). In the world, the toponymy has a longer history attaching
with the name of the first toponymists such as J.J. Eghi, J.W.Nagl at the end of the 19th century …


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However, the notes of geographical, historical place-name in both Orient and in the West appeared
from very soon.
- In China, at the beginning of Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Co documented more than
4,000 place-names. By the time Northern Wei, Lich Dao Nguyen wrote “Thuy kinh chu so”,
in which noted more than three thousand place-names.
- At the end of the 19th century, in the West, the toponymy subject was officially appeared. In
1872, J.J. Eghi (Switzerland) wrote Toponymy and in 1903, J.W.Nagl (Austrian) also made the work
Toponymy. In the 20th century, flourished the researches on place-name attaching to the great names
from many countries. J.Gillénon (1854 - 1926) wrote Atlat French language, research the place-name in
the direction of geography development. A.Dauzat wrote Origin and development of place-name
propose the geographical methods to study the chronology of the place-names.

Leading and reaching many achievements in building theoretical system is the Soviet toponymists
with some typical works such as E.M.Murzaev with The tendencies of researching place-names,
I.U.A.Kapenko Discussing contemporary place-names, A.V.Nhikonov with General of place-names (1965);
G.P.Xmolixkaja and M.V. Gorbanhexki with Moscow place-names etc The person who is considered to
have most contributions to the toponymy research science is A.V. Supenranxkaja with 2 great works named
Principles of toponymy and What is toponymyịa. In which, including the work What is toponymy has great
value in the development of toponymy branch.
b. Situation of place-name research in Vietnam
The chronicle works, history of literature, geography books appearing a lot of centuries ago
may be considered as the first toponymy works in our country. We may tell the name of typical
works in this genre such as: Vietnamese historical summary, Vietnam Records of the Historian
(Ngo Si Lien), General history summary of Vietnam, An Nam miscellaneous literary works,
Geography book (Nguyen Trai), Lich trieu hien chuong loai chi (Phan Huy Chu)….
From the middle of the 20th century, some works researched place-names in the angle of
language or place-name approach in interdisciplinary science type, bring the Toponymy of Vietnam into
a real science subject. Starting from the years of 70th decade – previous century, the issues of place-
name research and theory of toponymy were taken true interest. We may quote the typical works as
follows:
- “Relation of ancient language in Southeast Asia through some names of river” (1967) by
Hoang Thi Chau.
- “Changes in administrative geography in the French domination period” (1972) by Vu Van
Tinh
- “Method of applying toponymy in research of geography, ancient history of Vietnam”
(1984) by Dinh Van Nhat
- “Test discussion about Vietnam place-names” (1976) by Tran Thanh Tam


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The research of modern toponymy must mention to Le Trung Hoa, author of the successful
research work on place-names of Ho Chi Minh city and a series of other valuable researches around

the field of Toponymy. In addition, it is necessary to mention to the contribution of Nguyen Kien
Truong with MA thesis in Survey place-names in Hai Phong city; Tu Thu Mai with thesis
“Research place-names in Quang Tri”; Tran Van Dung researched “Place-names in Dac Lac”;
Phan Xuan Dam with thesis “Survey place-names in Nghe An” and many thesises, themes of place-
names in other localities.
c. Issue of place-name research in Hanoi and Dong Anh district
- In the important historical documentations such as, Vietnam Records of the Historian (Ngo
Si Lien), General history summary of Vietnam, An Nam miscellaneous literary works, Geography
book (Nguyen Trai), place-names of Co Loa, Uy No, Duc Tu, Kim Hoa, Dong Do… are mentioned
attaching to the important historical events and as a unit directly under Dong Ngan district, in
consideration of administrative aspect.
- Dong Anh village community was mentioned in the famous books “Name of Vietnam
village community in the 19
th
century”, “Thang Long – Hanoi competition-examinations villages”
- The history of formation, transformation of the administrative place-names and name of
Dong Anh village community was also introduced in the books “Dong Khanh geography book”
(complied at Dong Khanh reign -1886), “Bac Ninh geography book” by Do Trong Vi, “Bac Ninh
tinh chi” by Trinh Nhu Tau, “Kinh Bac administrative geography” by Nguyen Van Huyen,
“Vietnamese country through the dynasties” by Dao Duy Anh and recently the meticulous research
work on change process of place-names and administrative border of districts, communes of Bac
Ninh province through the historical periods of author Nguyen Quang Khai.
- During the thesis implementation, the implementer approached to many typical research
works attaching to land and people of Dong Anh, in which, the place-names in this land are
considered as the historical evidence or itself is the object of research: Book “On the land of
historical Co Loa” by late Professor Tran Quoc Vuong, Dong Anh with 1000 years of Thang Long
– Hanoi published by the District Party Committee– People’s Council – People’s Committee of
Dong Anh district, Prof.Dr. Bui Xuan Dinh chief editor, Co Loa monography Nguyen Quang Ngoc
and Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Quan
- The research on Dong Anh place-names can not but mention to the work Meaning and

origin issue of Co Loa place-name discussed by many researchers in the works and articles:
“Vietnamese country over dynasties” (Dao Duy Anh), “On the land of historical Co Loa” (Tran
Quoc Vuong), “ Co Loa geography book” (Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Vu Van Quan), “Study about the
origin and meaning of Co Loa place-name” (Tran Tri Doi, Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh)…
- The place-name in Dong Anh also contributes to proving the presence, prosperity and
decadence of Royal Dynasty Li on Hoa Lam mother’s village of King Li Cong Uan. The
development of scientists such as Assoc.Prof.Dr. Trinh Binh Dy, Asso.Prof.Dsc. Tran Ba Chi,


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Prof.Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Lam Thi Mi Dung on the sources of bibliographies,
archeological documentations and place-names contribute to clarifying such significant historical
secrets.
In addition to the above-mentioned research works, the place-name in Dong Anh is also
mentioned in the folk legends, local researches and a lot of articles, thesis, themes about Co Loa
Festival, Den Sai Festival, Choosing Son-in-law Festival, Duong Yen village, singing Ca tru in Lo
Khe, Puppetry Lo Khe, puppetry Dao Thuc… In such researches, Dong Anh place-names xists with
all its vitalities and souls, when being associated with legend, customs, festivals …
However, most preceding researches only took interest in Loa Thanh, Mai Lam and
neighboring cultural regions, in which, the place-name is only told name as historical evidences that
are rarely considered as direct object of research. The picture of Dong Anh place-names with 23
wide communes and townlet is only described generally and most are acknowledged in the angle of
administrative unit. The research on Dong Anh place-names n the interdisciplinary direction, attach
special importance to the characteristics of language – history – culture is the direction chosen by
us with desire to discover and affirm more specific characteristics of this land, seeing from the
angle of place-name system
6. Research method: Generally apply the methods of collection, fieldwork, description
method, interdisciplinary research method of language – history – culture, analytical method,
summary, generalization.
7. Contributions of the thesis

Implementing this theme, we desire to achieve the research results with scientific and
practical values, including the basic contributions:
- Point out and prove the characteristics and development law of place-name language
according to the particular research methods of linguistics.
- Put forth a accurate, scientific and full system of place-names in Dong Anh in the organic
close relation with local history and culture.
- Being an important research segment in the scientific project about overview of natural,
historical, cultural, social characteristics of Dong Anh district implemented by Dong Anh district
People’s Committee in coordination with the Institute of Vietnamese studies and Development
science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
8. Thesis composition
In addition to Introduction and Conclusion, the thesis includes 4 chapters:
Chapter 1: Theoretical and practical foundation of the thesis
Chapter 2: Characteristics of Dong Anh place-names
Chapter 3: The place – names of Dong Anh in the relationship with history and culture





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CHAPTER 1: GENERAL ISSUES OF PLACE-NAME
AND DONG ANH PLACE-NAMES
1.1. General theories of place-name and toponymy
1.1.1. Place-name
1.1.1.1. Concept
The place-name term has origin from an ancient Greek Toponima or Topoma, Vietnamese
meaning “place name”, “name of geographical name”. The place-name not only brings meaning
“land name” as pure way of understanding. The place-name includes the name of all geographical
objects belonging to nature (mound, hill, river, stream …), residence units (village, hamlet,
province, city …), construction works existing on a defined geographic space (temple, pagoda,
market, street …)
The set of place-names forms a layer of special terms in the vocabulary system of one
language.
Summarize the opinions of many previous researchers, we set the concept of place-name as
follows: The place-name is the fixed words or terms, used as name of natural topography,
construction works, administrative units, territories with the position defined on the earth surface
1.1.1.2. Some features about place-name identification
1.1.1.3. Place-name classification

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The place-name classification is a very important operation in place-name research. In
the world and in Vietnam, many researches proposed the different methods of classification,
depending on viewpoint, purpose of each person. In this thesis, we propose the method of
place-name classification according to the administrative and non-administrative, natural and
non-natural criteria.
1.1.2. Toponymy and aspects of place-name research
1.2. Overview of research area
1.3. Principles of surveying, classifying Dong Anh place-names
1.3.1. Principle of surveying
1.3.2. Principle of classifying Dong Anh place-names
1.4. General picture of Dong Anh place-names
Sub-conclusion: As a theoretical and practical foundation of the thesis, through chapter 1, we
presented the theoretical issues of place-name and toponymy, overview of research area and general
picture of Dong Anh place-names. On the basis of systemizing the theories of the preceding
persons, collecting documents about research area and as a first step to judge about the system 1288
surveyed place-name, we give the following conclusions:
- The place-name is the fixed words or terms, used as name of natural topography,
construction works, administrative units, territories with defined position on the earth surface.
- The toponymy is a major of linguistics, researches the geographical names, explain the
composition, its history of appearance and analyze the initial meaning of words constituting place-
name
- For nature, the place-name is a language unit, but it is also concurrently embodiment of
classes of historical, cultural, social, psychological values of ethnic people… on the land where
they develop. For this reason, when researching place-name, must apply the interdisciplinary
methods: history, geography, cultural studies, psychology … on the basis of linguistic method as
main.
- Dong Anh is the second largest district of Hanoi. This is the half-mountain and half-plain
area “plain head, midland end” fat, holds the strategic position of geography and holds in it the
special historical missions. The inhabitants of Dong Anh is relatively purely about ethnic

component, but this place often receives the cultural exchange flows according to the foot of
migrations and economic trade activity. Thus, Dong Anh bears the special cultural, historical and
social values.
- With desire to recognize the characteristics of language, geography, history, society,
government management hallmark, urbanization appearance…, we divided Dong Anh place-names
according to the criteria: administrative – non-administrative, natural – non-natural and language
origin criteria. Those general characteristics will be clarified in chapters 2, 3, 4 of this thesis.



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CHAPTER 2: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLACE-NAMES OF DONG ANH

2.1. Origin characteristic
Table 2.1: Classification result of Dong Anh place-names according to the language
origin criteria
No.
Type of place-
name
Number of place-names according to the language origin
Total
Pure
Vietnam
ese
Sino
Vietnam
ese
Foreign
language
Mixture
Number
Undefined
Quantity
Rate
1
Administrative
place-name
5
148
0
16
62
0

231
17.9
2
Natural place-
name
281
83
0
37
0
6
407
31.6
3
Residence unit
PHC (hamlet,
village,
apartment
building )
181
33
2
18
9
0
243
18.9
4
Man-made works
44

115
23
14
0
0
196
15.2


13
attaching to
physical activity
5
Man-made work
attaching to
mental activity
81
107
1
21
0
1
211
16.4
Total
Quantity
592
486
26
106

71
7
1288


Rate
46%
37.7%
2.0%
8.3%
5.5%
0.5%

100
From the above statistic table, we may find that, in consideration of language origin, Dong
Anh place-names are divided into 5 basic groups: 1- Group of pure Vietnamese place-name; 2-
Group of Sino-Vietnamese place-name; 3- Group of foreign language place-name; 4- Group of
mixed place-name (with a lot of different formats); 5- Group of number and character place-name;
6- Group of place-name with undefined language origin. Among them, the group of pure
Vietnamese place-name has the largest number because this is age-old residence region of the
Vietnamese. The group of Sino-Vietnamese place-name also makes up a relatively high rate and
mainly fall into the administrative place-names of district, hamlet, commune; name of state head
offices, name of words of the spiritual works…Although the foreign language place-name makes
up a low rate compared to the other group of Dong Anh place-name, in the comparison with the
other localities of the whole country, it has a remarkable quantity. The reason is that Dong Anh is a
suburb district of Hanoi capital where there are large industrial zones (especially along North
Thang Long - Noi Bai Highway), with the high cultural exchange and rapid urbanization speed. The
group of mixed place-name makes up the rate…, existed in many forms, in which the most popular
is the combination between pure Vietnamese and Han Vietnamese. This combination is the
indispensable result of the long existence process of many languages in the land with a lot of

traditional cultural values and modern development potentials.
2.2. Composition characteristics
2.2.1. Overview of place-name complex
2.2.1.1. Concept “place-name complex”
The place-name complex is a phrase containing place-name, a compound of two elements:
common element indicates the topography type of the identified object, the individual element is the
name bearing the reflection, localization value. In a place-name complex, only the second element
is considered as place-name and recorded in the form of capitalization.
This is the concept that Tu Thu Mai gave and concurred by a lot of people. We also acquire
the above viewpoint, but it is necessary to emphasize that in a place-name complex, only the second
element is a official place-name but the element indicating type standing first has a very important
role and close relation with the place-name. Therefore, when researching place-name, it is
necessary to consider it in a complete place-name complex with both elements: type indication and
name indication.


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2.2.1.2. Place-name complex composition model
- The place-name complex model includes 2 parts: the first part is called common name,
common component, first component, component A…; the second part is called individual name,
individual component, component B. For function, the common component has the general type
nature to indicate the geography type forming a layer, the individual component has individual
nature, type distinguishing nature to call name and localize this object with other object.
For form, the common component often stands before according to the Vietnamese grammar
rule except for some particular cases. The individual component stands behind and must be
capitalized.
The relationship between the common component and place-name is the relationship between
the limited thing and thing used for limit. Component A is the limited thing, means A showing a
type of object with the same attribute. Individual component B (place-name) is the thing to limit,
means B showing the specific objects in the class of objects A as indicated.

2.2.2. Dong Anh place-name complex model
2.2.2.1. Group of administrative place-names
a. Characteristics of quantity of elements participating in administrative place-name
composition
b. Common component in Dong Anh administrative place-name
* Some features of common component:
* Common component in Dong Anh administrative place-name
c. Characteristics of individual component in Dong Anh administrative place-name
* Some features of individual component
* Characteristics of individual component in Dong Anh administrative place-name
- Composition
- Language origin
- Structure
2.2.2.2. Group of non-administrative place-names
a. Characteristics of quantity of elements participating in non-administrative place-name
composition
b. Common component in non-administrative place-name
* Determination difficulty of common component
* Quantity of common components
* Composition characteristic of common component
* Function characteristic
* Characteristic of transformation of common component
c. Individual component in Dong Anh non-administrative place-name
* Composition characteristic


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- Individual component with single composition
- Individual component with compound composition
* Structure characteristic

- Individual component with main-auxiliary composition:
- Individual component with coordinated composition:
- Individual component with subject and predicative composition












Table 2.4. Survey result of place-names of Đông Anh according to the structure type
Form of place-
name
Quantity of place-names according to the composition
type
Result
Single
compo
sition
Compound composition
Principa
l and
accessor
y
Coordina

ted
Subject
and
predicati
ve
Undefined
Quantity
rate
Administrative
place-name
65
150
12
1

3
231
17.9
Natural place-
name
202
121
67
13
24
427
33.1
Non-
administrative
residence place-

name (hamlet,
village…)
179
41
16
2
5
243
18.9
Man-made works
110
172
71
2
32
387
30.1


16
Total
SL
556
484
166
18
64
1288

TL

43.2
37.6
12.9
1.4
4.9

100

2.3. Characteristic of Dong Anh place-name meaning
2.3.1. General
2.3.1.1. Place-name significance and determination of place-name significance
The place-name has a very important significance in the reality reflection. When researching
place-name, the researcher not only researches on origin, methods of place-name composition but
also must study about the significance of place-name. When studying about this issue, it is necessary
to implement as follows:
- Explain the significance of place-name composition factors.
- Find out about the reason for naming place-name, relationship between place-name with the
identified object.
2.3.1.2. Identification method
a. Term
The identification method (or equivalent terms such as “Composition method”, “name
composition method”, “identification law”, “naming principle”,“place-name naming methods”) is
understood as the naming method for some object. In my thesis, Tu Thu Mai emphasized: the
identification method always uses the factors having significance to identify for the object
suitably to the characteristic, nature, relationship of geographical object with aspiration,
psychology of the identifier. Vice versa, owning to the identification method, place-name
significance and significance of composition elements are shown clearly through each place-
name as well as each type of place-name
b. Identification methods
2.3.2. Identification methods of Dong Anh place-names

2.3.2.1. New composition method
a. Based on object nature
b. Based on things, characteristics, elements having close relationship with object
c. Based on origin, ownership relation
d. Based on historical upheavals, events:
e. Call name according to the objects of the same type
f. Call name according to the legend:
g. Call name according to the occupation and specialty in the region
h. Call name according to the dream, aspiration
i. Place-name uses number to have effect to localize and mark ordinal numbers:


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2.3.2.2. Transformation method
a Local transformation of place-name type:
b. Transformation between the place-name types:
2.3.2.3. Borrowing method
a. Take the name of place-name of this region to name for the place-name of other region:
b. New place-name formed on the basis of joining name of old place-names
c. Take name to name for place-name:
SUB-CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 2
Conforming to the law of thought and language composition in general, characteristic of
phonics, vocabulary and grammar of Vietnamese in particular, the Dong Anh place-name bears the
general characteristics of composition form and identification method similar to many other
localities.
In consideration of composition form, Dong Anh place-name is in a complex of two parts:
the first standing part has effect to indicate type, or called common component, reflecting the
named geographical object (such as, mound, hill, village, hamlet…); the second part limits the
significance for the word indicating type, through a specific name, help to determine a certain
object between a great many objects of the same type. For example: Kim No (hamlet), Van Tri

(dam), Linh Quang (pagoda), Cay Thi (field)…
The common component in Dong Anh administrative place-name has the systematic nature
and nearly identical with all other localities in the whole country with the administrative unit
indicating words is layered clearly: district– commune, townlet – hamlet, street, street quarter –
street – lane … It shows the close and uniform management. In Dong Anh place-name also
reserves some ancient administrative units passed from the common people according to the habit
because the language, culture always changes slower than history and politics. That is the old
names: cha To, trang Hoa Lam, Tay Son camp…
The common component in the non-administrative place-names has the more diversified
quantity than the administrative place-names because in addition to the natural topographies that
are very diversified, the non-administrative place-name also includes the residence units (apartment
building, urban area, collective quarter …), spiritual works and construction works are more and
more diversified about type: factory, enterprise, highway, overpass, golf court… Dong Anh is day
by day changing in the trend of door-opening, integration, bringing about the appearance of a series
of new non-administrative place-names created by the people.
According to the popular naming rule in the administrative place-name of Vietnam, Dong
Anh administrative place-name is a Sino-Vietnamese word with dual syllable. Besides, some
administrative place-names use the purely Vietnamese word because it was taken according to the
old village name, concentrated mainly in the rural areas. Vice versa, the urban area has tend to take


18
administrative place-name by “encoding” the figures such as group 1, group 2, block 3, block 4… .
The administrative place-name is identified according to the following methods: join name of old
place-names (Dong Anh, Lien Ha…), reflecting dream, aspiration (Dai Mach, Thuy Lam, Phuc
Tho…), reflecting reality (Nguyen Khe, Bac Hong, Tam Xa, Chiem Trach…), transcribed from
Chinese name (Hai Boi- Boi village, Mach Lung- Sung village…). The administrative place-name
indicating street is often named according to the historical character and event (Cao Lo road, Dao
Cam Moc road, Uncle Ho banian-tree road).
The individual name in Dong Anh non-administrative place-name has the lively and

extremely diversified expression because it is the free creation product of the folk, passed in
thousands of years, undergoing many historical, political upheavals. In consideration of quantity of
composition elements, individual component in the non-administrative place-name, may be from 1
to 8 elements (To market, North Thang Long Highway – Noi Bai Overpass). The natural place-
names often have trend to have brief name, single syllable, the man-made place-names in the trend
of polysyllabic with a multilayer main and auxiliary structure. In the aspect of language, the non-
administrative place-name is structured by both pure Vietnamese word (Tam Coi, Rau Can, Doc,
San…), and Sino-Vietnamese word (Bac hamlet, Linh Thong pagoda, Tho Da Communal
house…), in which, the pure Vietnamese place-names makes up majority and often falls in the
group of natural place-names, name of village and hamlet. In the aspect of structure, the non-
administrative place-name has complicated structure with all grammar structure formats:
Coordinated, main and auxiliary, subject and predicative. However, in 1288 collected place-names,
there are some place-names that the implementer can not explain the significance so we do not
classify them into what composition type.
Between the common component and individual component in Dong Anh place-name has the
close relationship with each other, showing clearly through the transformation phenomenon. Most
place-names structured according to the transformation method are the non-administrative place-
names because it is formed naturally, simply with high applicability: Chua hamlet, Cong Lang
pond, Cau Tho So slope…This transformation creates the step nature for the place-name both in
significance and composition.
Dong Anh place-name is structured from 3 basic identification methods: new composition
method, transformation method and borrowing method. Among 3 above methods, the new
composition method appears most and also most rich in reflection value, symbol and expressive
colors. The thesis summarized a system of naming methods in Dong Anh place-name. That
expresses the diversified language thought of the human and it is the premise for us to research the
issues set in the next chapter.

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CHAPTER 3: THE PLACE – NAMES OF DONG ANH IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
HISTORY AND CULTURE
3.1. Place-name - key for explaining the historical and cultural issues
3.2. Historical hallmark in the place – names of Đông Anh
3.2.1. Đông Anh - an ancient land region
3.2.1.1. System of ancient words
3.2.1.2 System of administrative unit, ancient residence unit
3.2.1.3. Ancient traces in village names
3.2.2. Đông Anh place-name is evidence of historical ages
3.2.2.1. An Duong Vuong age
Reviewing some Dong Anh place-names having the vestige of An Duong Vuong age and Au

Lac state:
- The place-names attaching to the warlike tradition of using bow and cross-bow in An
Duong Vuong age: Dong Ban mound (Ban mount), Ngu Xa estrade (legend has it that it was high
estrade where An Duong Vuong sat contemplating the shooting), Cuong No, Uy No, Oai No, Kinh
No… (No = crossbow), Cong Go - legend has it that it was the location for placing arrow, Cau Dau
- to which the king often allowed transporting copper, Duong Men, Duong Cam, Duong May, Dong
Vong, Dinh Trang (archaeological site where copper arrow was found - the most popular weapons
in An Duong Vuong age.


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- The place-names being vestige of Co Loa citadel: Noi citadel, Trung citadel, Ngoai citadel,
Co Loa water trench, Vuon Thuyen…
- The place-names carrying traditional color: Den Sai and That Dieu Son mountain, Gieng
Ngoc, Lo Lu wharf (Lo wharf), Cho market (Now belonging to Bac Ninh area), Tia bridge, Quan
Tien, Dong Dan, Vong Bai mound, Chau field…
- The place-names showing the belief of the following generations to An Duong Vuong and
Co Loa citadel: An Duong Vuong temple, Chua Ba small temple, Ngu Dien Di Quy, temple of
general Cao Lo…
3.2.2.2. Ly Royal dynasty
Located in the South East of Dong Anh district, Mai Lam commune is a special place-name
where stored significant but highly destructive, sorrowful historical secrets about the transfer of
two Li - Tran royal dynasties with the names having strong feature of the king such as Thien Duc
river, Li Gia Tang, Thai Duong Thon, Hoa Lam Vien, Loc Ha, Mai Hien, Le Xa…
If the pushing back of time covered the legendary dust layer on vestiges of An Duong Vuong
age, the remains of Li royal dynasty at the beginning of second millennium were still not only in
ancient history, place-name but also remained objects in display although a thousand of year
elapsed, the trouble war, intention of destroying politics and Duong river changed the flow and
direction many times.
In this part, we list and explain the system of place-names being the evidence for the

presence of Li dynasty on Mai Lam land, vestige of mother’s village of Li Thai To king and highly
destructive Hoa Lam Vien case in the history.
3.2.2.3. Revolutionary war period in the 20
th
century
3.2.3. Process of changing the place – names of Dong Anh reflecting the step of history
- Changing names of administrative unit reflects the change of management aspect.
- Changing name of place-names reflects the change of thought
3.2.4. Place-names carrying name of person or name of historical event, historical place-names
3.3. Cultural features of Dong Anh place-names
3.3.1. Cultural-geological issue
3.3.1.1. Landscape picture looking from indication word system
239 place-names shows small land areas, in which there are 218 fields, the remaining is the
yard area showing clearly the delta property of Dong Anh topography.
Dong Anh topography also has half-mountain half-plain property with relatively clear height
division. The characteristic unevenness of this topographical type is presented through 57
mountainous names and 114 water names.
Dong Anh is a low sunken area. The correlative comparison between 114 water names and
57 mountainous names can prove that thing. Among 21 indication words of natural place-name


21
object, up to 15 words indicate water name, including: river, lake, pond, canal, lagoon, pool,
depressed area, deep area, sung, chasm, jet, ditch, channel, well, trench). Accounting for the
greatest number are pond, lake, lagoon; they are the areas which are not deep but wide, symmetric
with low, sloped gently mountainous name system above. In Dong Anh place-name language, there
are words indicating water name such as deep area, jet, sung… showing the ancient property of this
natural place-name class.
3.3.1.2. Landscape picture looking from separate component system (separate name)
a. Separate component reflects topography

b. Separate component reflects plant and animal system
3.3.2. Aspects of cultural life presented through place-names
3.3.2.1. Material culture
a. Residence customs
b. Production customs
c. Commercial activity
From place-name angle, we can withdraw many comments on material culture life of Dong
Anh. This is a land area which was very typical for rural area of Northern midland delta with
cultural value system of traditional hamlet and village from eating, living, production to purchase,
sales, travel… Besides, Dong Anh is also the Northern gate of Hanoi where receives new cultural
sources of a integration industry period on all aspects of the material life.
3.3.2.2. Spiritual life
a. Reflection of belief life
It can be seen that diversified belief life of Dong Anh people is shown through the quantity
of place-names under the construction works group attaching to spiritual life. In many natural and
manmade place-names, we see the vestiges of spiritual beliefs and familiar characters, thoughts,
religious ceremonies (Quan Am village, Sai mountain (read slanted of Vai), Than Dong pond,
Vong Bai mound, Linh Thong pagoda…). In the consideration of phenomenon of changing the
place-name, among the indication factors participating in the change, accounting for a great rate are
the words showing the religious, belief works. That thing shows that in the consciousness of the
common people, communal house in the village and pagoda account for an important position.
Thus, as thinking to name the geographical objects, people often take belief works as the mark for
determining other works.
b. Reflection of popular custom
A long historical process with many cultural exchanges gave Dong Anh many plentiful
customs. Some of those customs left the hallmark in place-name such as the custom of abstain from
forbidden thing, rabble, custom of burying dead person, custom of selecting bad name, custom of
going to children’s market…
c. Reflection of language and psychology thought

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d. Reflection of cultural tradition
- Traditional fondness for learning
- Patriotic tradition
Sub-conclusion
In the content of chapter 3, we put forth and settled the following basic issues:
Analyze the relation between language with history and culture to affirm the validity of
place-names in discovering the specific characteristics of culture and history on the land on which
they exist.
From the place-names having historical nature, we consider that: 1- Đông Anh is an ancient
land region, 2- Place-name in Đông Anh is the evidence of historical upheavals, 3- The name
change of Place-name in Đông Anh reflects clearly the step of each age attaching to the form of
political management and specific popular psychology.
Looking from cultural aspect, Place-name in Đông Anh firstly clarifies the landscape picture,
topography and plant and animal system. Over 400 natural place-names, mainly being mound,
heap, pond, lake, field, yard that we total up show that Đông Anh is a depressed, half-mountain
half-plain land region, has charming mountain and water, it is favorable environment for ancient
Vietnamese people stopping the feet to form the village, for the Kings fixing the citadel and going
sightseeing.
Through the place-names attaching to the life aspects of people such as residence,
production, trade, it is possible to see that Đông Anh villages and communes are typical for the
village and commune model of North Vietnamese people: living near the river, planting wet rice,
self-sufficient economy.
The process of industrialization and modernization is gradually breaking down the stable
village and commune structure of Vietnamese people in Đông Anh; however, the customs, habits,
rites and beliefs are still preserved strongly; its embodiment are place-names having belief and
custom factors showing in both general component (pagoda, small temple, temple, joss-house,…)
and separate component (Quan Âm, Bụt Mọc, Thần Đống, Mả Cao, Mả Cháy …). The place-
names attaching to good cultural tradition of ancient Đông Ngàn people such as Hội Phụ, Cự Trình,

Thư Lâm, Pháo đài Xuân Canh, Quán cơm cụ Tấc … will contribute to educating Đông Anh young
generation to promote the quintessence of previous generation in order to be worthy of land name,
village land on their native village.
Another important content which we mention is the relation between place-name and popular
literature, typically, it is legend and folk-song, proverb. In Đông Anh, there is a system of place-
names attaching to the legend of An Duong Vuong, Mi Chau Trong Thuy and Cổ Loa Citadel. Like
many other villages, behind each name of village is a store of historical vestiges, legends to explain
the name and reflect the dream, expectation of farmers. The inmist feelings, sentiment, pride of
Dong Anh people are also shown through many folk-songs, proverbs, popular idiom mentioning


23
about the place-names such as Chạ Tó, Chạ Lê, Đào Thục, chợ Bỏi, sông Hoàng … Popular
literature really is museum for storing the place-names with all cultural, historical values attached
to it.













CONCLUSION
Implementing the master thesis with the subject of place-name studies, we select the

interdisciplinary research method to consider the place-names of Dong Anh as a language unit in
the general relation with other historical and cultural factors.
1. Đông Anh is the suburban district located in North Hanoi, connects the capital with
Northeast provinces and cities. This is ancient residence region of Au Lac residents that in each
inch of ground, there are archaeological vestiges in old times, on each place-name, there is clear
evidence of the period as An Duong built the walls and formed the country, Ngo Quyen placed the
sign, fixed the capital; Li - Tran in turns succeeded the country with many troubled times… Đông
Anh is also quintessence land with hundreds of trades, thousand of habits, with unique customs and
festivals. Today, Đông Anh is also a big industrial center where trading activities and cultural
exchanges happen strongly each hour. Like that, in the consideration of social aspects, Đông Anh is
a special area. The research result from place-name angle partly reflects that nature.
2. In composition aspect, the place – names of Đông Anh are located in a complex including
two component parts namely general component and separate component. Between these two parts,
there is organic relation in both structure aspect (presenting through phenomenon of
transformation) and significance aspect (presenting through relation between limit thing and thing
used to limit). The majority of general components has monosyllabic bisyllabic composition,
creates premise for the transformation of this factor into separate component, and creates a special
place-name class: place-name compositing under transformation principle. Separate component in
place-name complex in Đông Anh has full aspects of Vietnamese word composition. The name of


24
natural place-names such as mound, hill, field, pond, lake is often a monosyllabic Chinese-
transcribed Vietnamese word. In contrast, administrative place-name, place-name showing
manmade works often has complex composition with types of relation: main - auxiliary,
coordinated and subject - predicative.
3. In language origin aspect, over 90% of Đông Anh place-names have pure Vietnamese and
Chinese Vietnamese origins and reflect correctly the language picture of Northern delta of
Vietnam. This land is located near Thăng Long imperial city; therefore, the voice and handwriting
have tendency of standardization. We do not find out the hallmark of dialect in Đông Anh place-

name. However, here a system of ancient words is stored such as kẻ, xá, trầm, sủng, luồng,
dọc , this is the basis for affirming the long-term residence history of Vietnamese people on this
land.
4. On naming model, apart from the place-names which are not clear about meaning and the
place-names created by phonetic variant process, Đông Anh place-names are formed under 3 basic
modes: new composition mode, transformation mode and borrowing mode. In each mode, we point
out specific types. Thereby, it is possible to see the complexity of naming modes and the ability to
reflect the vivid, plentiful reality of this system.
5. Applying the way of classifying place-names under 2 main criteria: administrative/ non-
administrative and natural/ non-natural on 1288 collected place-names, the thesis pointed out the
general features of the social life picture and cultural history of Đông Anh district. Being
administrative, economic and cultural center of the country, Đông Anh administrative place-names
are regularly changed on border, administrative unit (hamlet, village, mountain district, district…),
and called name under each history period. The naming way of hamlet, commune, road, street
reflects clearly the political, social features and changes according to each period. In contrast,
natural place-names attaching to daily activities of people such as: pond, lake, mound, yard, field,
bridge and ditch are rather fixed, faithful to colloquial, pure Vietnamese names: To, Nhoi, Ca,
Con… That feature presents the preservation of ancient language among the common people is
very strong.
6. If the administrative place-name group reflects the community organization way and
management role of the government, natural place-name group focuses on reflecting types of
different topography, creates a half-mountain half-plain picture with not profound convexo-
concave marks though place-names with general component namely mound, heap, pond, small
pond, sung, depressed area, vong… densily. The overwhelming of water name and other place-
name groups having water factor (ha, khe, giang, tri, ben) emphasizes the low and depressed
property of Hanoi region and suburbs which the historians and geologists try to find and prove.
7. Plentiful cultural life of Đông Anh agricultural residents is presented lively through
hundreds of place-names being construction works attaching to religious activities, belief or place-

25
names reflecting the long-standing customs and habits. Đông Anh Place-names also show the
penetration of industrialization and urbanization process with series of indication nouns such as
industrial zone, factory, apartment building, ecological tourist area… and many separate names
having foreign origin, allocating mainly West region of the district. Đông Anh place-name is also a
source of truthful, plentiful historical documents to half-open many past secrets from country
construction period up to now. There are place-names written in history, there are place-names only
being handed down among the common people and they are being lost in oblivion gradually,
especially under the time, the object which it names is also transformed. Therefore, the collection
and preservation of historical place-names are very necessary.
8. Research of place-names as a scientific sector had the history of over 1 century in the
world and it has started to be cared in Vietnam from the middle of the 20
th
century. Nowadays,
research of place-names is a tendency which has both scientific value and reality value. The fact
shows that in history, we had some famous monographic works. However, border of country,
place-names and historical events still change. The compilation of the works: Vietnam geography
book in the 21
st
century is very necessary. This work was commenced, started by scientists from
each hamlet, village, commune, district… Implement the thesis with topic: Đông Anh place-name,
we want to contribute a hand mark into that fully significant common career.