UNDERSTANDING BINH DUONG PROVINCE’S IDENTITY THROUGH ITS PLACE NAMES

By Tran Hanh Minh Phuong
DOI: 10.37550/tdmu.EJS/2025.02.643

This paper explores the identity of Bình Dương Province through its place names, highlighting how these names reflect the region's historical, cultural, and economic transformation. Bình Dương, once a primarily agricultural province, has experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization; and how the evolution of place names mirrors these shifts, encapsulating themes of resilience, pride, and modernity in the province’s identity. Applying the Toponymic Analysis method to analyze the etymology, origin, and meaning of 3,462 toponymic words consisting of 4,155 subtypes of place names discovered in 91 communes and wards of Binh Duong province, the findings reveal that place names in Bình Dương not only serve as geographical markers but also function as symbols of Binh Duong identity. The place names are often closely tied to the region’s geography; reflect the rich cultural mix of its inhabitants; carry traces of colonial influence; have presented political and economic changes; serve to unify its population, invoking themes of strength, resilience, and local pride, equality. This research implies that toponymy is a powerful tool for understanding social and cultural identity of a place.