LO-HO

also called T'a-ho, Pinyin Luohe, or Tahe, city in central Honan sheng (province), China. Lo-ho is situated on the Sha River, which flows southeastward to the Huai River at the point where it is crossed by the main PekingHan-k'ou railway. It is a focus not only for rail and river transport but also for the local road network. Originally it was merely a small village and a minor landing place on the river, subordinate to the ancient county town of Yen-ch'eng some 3 miles (5 km) to the northwest. Its growth dates from the construction of the railway in 1905. Situated between Yen-ch'eng and the station, Lo-ho before World War II rapidly grew into a local market and a collecting centre for agricultural produce, particularly cotton, soybeans, and wheat, which were transported to Han-k'ou. It was also a commercial centre with a sizable business community and a distribution point for foreign goods. By 1949 it had outgrown its neighbour Yen-ch'eng and was constituted as a municipality. It is the site of an electric-lightbulb factory. Pop. (1990) 126,438.