The meaning of the word Thất Sơn is the seven mountains in the Châu Đốc region, near the Khmer-Vietnamese border. These seven mountains are:
1.- Anh Vũ Mountain (Két Mountain): Height 125m, located in Thới Sơn commune, Tịnh Biên district (Châu Đốc). The mountain is named Két Mountain because the tip of the rock resembles the beak of a parrot.
2.- Ngũ Hồ Mountain (Five Wells Long Mountain, near Két Mountain): The exact height is unknown, but in the middle of the mountain there are 5 small water wells.
3.- Thiên Cẩm Mountain (Sky Brocade Mountain): Also known as Cấm Mountain, height 716m, length 7,500m, width 6,800m, located between Tịnh Biên and Tri Tôn districts (Châu Đốc). This mountain was formerly called Gấm Mountain. Perhaps because of the green tree ridges and white rock peaks, with “Tứ vi clouds covering and wandering around” on the mountain, it appeared with beautiful brocade colors. Later it was called Cấm Mountain because in the past Prince Nguyễn Ánh was pursued by the Tây Sơn army and hid on this mountain. Officials then ordered a ban on local people visiting, claiming that the area was full of wild beasts.
Some people also believe that because the Buddha Master Tay An prophesied that in the future there will be a golden temple with jade halls of the Holy King on this mountain, He forbade His disciples from building pagodas or living on this mountain to avoid desecrating the sacred mountain. This was also instructed by Master Huynh Giao Chu to his followers.
4/- Lien Hoa Mountain (Elephant Mountain): Height 115m, length 600m, width 400m, located in Ba Chuc commune, Tri Ton district (Chau Doc). The mountain is named Elephant Mountain because from a distance it appears to look like an elephant.
5/- Thuy Dai Mountain (Water Mountain near Elephant Mountain): Height 50m, in the same village as Elephant Mountain.
6/- Ngoa Long Mountain (Long Mountain): Height 580m, length 8,000m, located in Tri Ton district (Chau Doc). It is named this way because the mountain is about 8 kilometers long and resembles a lying dragon.
7/- Phung Hoang Mountain (To Mountain): Height 614m, length 5,800m, width 3,700m, located in Tri Ton district (Chau Doc). The above is referenced from materials recounted by many people, but considering the Seven Mountains region, there are still many other mountains, such as Tra Su Mountain, Ba Doi Om Mountain, Nam Vi Mountain, etc. Therefore, the term Thất Sơn (Seven Mountains) also generally refers to the entire hills and mountains belonging to Chau Doc province.
Chu Giai Sam Giang (1975)
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