Journal of the Korean Geographical SocietyISSN:1225-6633(Print)대한지리학회

This study was motivated to reveal how the name Jungnang (중랑, 中浪) has been historically used and established with relation to the name Jungnyang (중량, 中梁). An investigation of historical documents and maps has shown that a wide range of specific terms with various hanja (한자, 漢字) characters were used besides these two names. Objects of naming derived from port to stream, village and bridge. This study suggests that the history of this toponymic use should be understood with the geographical context in which each name was situated, including territorial nature of geographical features to be named, perception of place differentiated by territorial segments, symbolism and status related to the dynastic government, adoption as an administrative name and its effect on the standardization of geographical names. Two future research topics are addressed; establishing a methodological framework to study diachronic toponymy use in reliance on historical literature and extending into linguistic focus, particularly on the process of adopting various hanja characters.