Houji is a city in Henan province, in the central region of China. Henan lies on the North China Plain and is one of the country's most populous provinces; its cities form part of the densely settled agricultural heartland of northern China.
The name Houji is also borne by a legendary figure in Chinese tradition, Hou Ji, a culture hero credited with introducing millet to humanity during the time of the Xia dynasty. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, his name translates as "Lord of Millet," a title granted to him by Emperor Shun. Millet was the original staple grain of northern China before the introduction of wheat. He was credited with developing the philosophy of Agriculturalism and with service during the Great Flood in the reign of Yao, and he was claimed as an ancestor of the Ji clan that became the ruling family of the Zhou dynasty, or as a founder of the Zhou.
Beyond its location in Henan, established details about the city of Houji itself are limited in the available material, and no further specifics about its administration, population, or landmarks are documented here.