The latter part of the name translates to ladder, which does not make much sense given the item at hand, leading historians to assume it is a rough translation of 'tang' which is Chinese for soup. Bún Thang is most popular in the north of the country and is a dish that embodies the 5 elements. The dish's broth is primarily made of chicken and pork while seafood such as shrimp is added for a better flavour. On the side of toppings, usually eggs, ham or chicken is made use of. A rare variety of Bún Thang is available where the dish is sprinkled with cà cuống, which is the pheromone of a waterbug.