The ancient name of the river Pčina is unknown. It is the left tributary of the river Vardar. The Pčina rises in the mountain range Dukat in the Republic of Serbia at 1,660 m above sea level. The river flows into the river Vardar at the Taorska Klisura at 191 m above sea level. The mountains of Kozjak and German (Djerman) separate the upper reaches of the river Pčina in Žegligovo in the North from Slavište in the South. The river Pčinja is 136,6 km long. The village of Pšinja was named after the river Pčina. The river is mentioned for the first time in the Vitae of the Saints Prohor Pčinjski (11th century; na rece Pčine) and Joakim Osogovski (12th century; na rěcě Pšinja). It appears also in the boundary description of the village of Kalugerovljane in the charter of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš II Milutin (reigned 1282-1321) for the Monastery of Saint George-Gorg near Skopje (Selo Kalugerovljane nad Pšinom). The river is attested in the same charter in the context of the delimitation of the village of Dubravica and the Emperor's road, which was located nearby (i do druma careva koi grede na Pšinju). The Pčina is named on several occasions in the charter of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan (reigned 1331-1355) for the Church of Saint Nikola near Kožle in 1352/53 (v městě naricajeměmь na Pšini podь Kozljemь; i sego božьstvьnago hrama svetago Nikoli na Pšini podь Kožljemь; ōtь broda pšinskoga podь gradomь; i ōtь Grьličina Kamena vse nizь Pšinju do Ratilьca, i ōtь Ratilьca prěko u Veliku, i paky ōtь togažde broda pšinskoga; kako Cerovi Potokь opada u Pšiniju, i nizь Pšinju prěma Bělomь Kamenu; i ōtь měla strьmo u Pšinju, i vse nizь Pšinju; i potokomь Cerovimь u Pьšinju; crьkov; svetago Nikoli na Pšini podь Kožljemь).