The name of Hoi An first appeared in the earliest literature in the beginning of the 17th century. Earlier than that, the name "Faifo" had been shown in maritime maps by the Westerners. However, in history, the urban area and trading port of Hoi An had formed and developed for a long period of time. It can be genarally divided into 3 periods: Pre-history, Champa, Dai Viet and Dai Nam.