Renaming of geographical objects in the Russian Far East

Renaming of geographical objects in the Russian Far East (Переименование географических объектов на Дальнем Востоке) was a process massive change in the names of geographical objects and settlements in the Primorsky Krai, as well as in the Khabarovsk Krai and the Amur Oblast, from indigenous names to Russian-language ones, with the bulk of the changes occurred from 1972 to 1974. About 500 objects were renamed, including 100 settlements. The renaming occurred as a result of the armed conflict with China over Damansky Island in 1969. Many (but not all) place names that were replaced were of Chinese origin.

History
Until 1972, in the Primorsky Krai, the names of many geographical objects were of Chinese (due to the neighborhood with China) or Tungus-Manchu (native) origin. To a lesser extent, such toponyms were found in the Khabarovsk Krai and the Amur Oblast.

The current territory of the region, before the Beijing Treaty of 1860 (before joining the Russian Empire), was considered a vassal territory of the Manchu people, who in the middle of the 17th century conquered China (along with Mongolia) and placed the Manchu-led Qing dynasty on the imperial throne.

The Russian settlers who founded Russian military posts and the first estates lived for several decades on the territory of modern Primorsky Krai (South Ussuri) region together with the peoples of the Manchu-Tungus group: Orochs, Udege, Nanai, a small number of Manchus and descendants of other peoples who were previously part of Jurchen and Manchu statehood by the indigenous population.

In the territory annexed to Russia by Count Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky in 1860, a number of Chinese lived (see Manzy), mostly otkhodniks, since the permanent residence of the Chinese in the Manchu lands was limited, and at times outright prohibited, by the Manchu authorities of the Qing dynasty. On the territory of what is now Primorsky Krai, ethnic Chinese were engaged in agriculture, hunting, fishing, robbery, mining (primarily gold), collecting wild plants (Ginseng), and trading.

By the time the first Russian sea posts of Posyet, Vladivostok, and Slavyanka appeared in the southern part of the South Ussuri region, native names of the Tungus-Manchu language series (Adimi, Sidimi, Hadimi, Talmi, Tuluchekoritsig) and Chinese (Suifun-he, Yanchi-he) coexisted.

Russian names appeared mainly around islands, capes and bays (Russky Island, Slavic Bay), since Russian colonization was initially clearly naval.

Native names were subsequently used by Russian settlers and remained until 1972.

Renaming campaign
In 1972–1974, as a result of the armed conflict with China over Damansky Island (1969), in the Primorsky Krai and, to a lesser extent, in neighboring regions, a massive renaming of geographical objects and settlements was carried out in order to get rid of toponyms of Chinese origin.

At the same time, not only Chinese names were replaced (Suifun-he was renamed to the Razdolnaya River, Yanchi-he - to the Tsukanovka River), but also Tunguska names (Adimi - renamed to the Poima River, Sidimi - to the Narva River, Tulamu Bay - to Slavyanka Bay).

Non-indigenous place names also suffered: for example, America Bay and Manchzhur Bay were renamed Nakhodka Bay and Cormorant Bay, respectively. These objects were originally named after the Russian sea vessels that carried out exploration of the coast of the Far East in the 19th century: the corvette America and the transport Manjur. Obviously, any toponym whose sound showed unfavorable political connotations for that period was considered unreliable, regardless of the origin of this toponym.

As a result of the renaming, the Primorsky Krai has largely lost its toponymic identity. Most of the new names are not associated with the region historically, ethnographically or geographically - for example, the Ilistaya River (formerly Lefou), the Tikhaya River (formerly Telyanza), Mount Obzornaya (formerly Khalaza), Lazurnaya Bay (formerly Feldhausen or Shamora), - or they duplicate the Russian-language names of nearby objects - for example, the Arsenyevka River (formerly Daubikhe), the Razdolnaya River (formerly Suifun), Mount Livadiyskaya (formerly Pidan).

Among the small number of indigenous place names that have been preserved are the names of the Ussuri, Sungacha and Bikin rivers and Lake Khanka.