As the cold wind blows in the twelfth lunar month, Chinese people welcome a warm and sweet holiday on the eighth day of La Yue: the Laba Festival.
This ancient festival acts like a winter overture, officially marking the beginning of the preparations for the Chinese New Year. It is filled with gratitude for the harvest and beautiful wishes for the future.
What is the Laba Festival?
The Laba Festival is held on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month (usually falling in January on the Gregorian calendar). The character “La” in ancient times referred to making sacrifices to ancestors and deities, symbolizing bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new.
This festival blends ancient year-end sacrificial traditions with Buddhist culture, making it a winter celebration rich with multiple layers of meaning.
According to legend, it was on this day that Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment. Therefore, Buddhist temples hold ceremonies and prepare “Laba Porridge” to distribute to devotees in commemoration. This tradition deeply influenced folk customs, adding auspicious and compassionate connotations to the Laba Festival.
Traditional Customs of the Laba Festival
The customs of the Laba Festival revolve around “warmth” and “auspiciousness,” with the core being a bowl of steaming hot Laba Porridge.
Enjoying Laba Porridge: A Warm Ritual
Laba Porridge, also known as “Seven Treasures and Five Flavors Porridge,” is the absolute star of the day. It is not a simple porridge but a “treasure porridge” made by simmering various grains, beans, and dried fruits together.
Common ingredients include:
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Grains: Glutinous rice, millet, and barley, symbolizing abundance.
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Beans: Red beans, mung beans, and kidney beans, representing completeness.
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Dried Fruits: Red dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, and longan, signifying sweetness and longevity.
On a cold winter morning, the whole family gathers to enjoy a bowl of this sweet, soft, and glutinous porridge. It not only drives away the chill but also symbolizes a bountiful harvest, family harmony, health, and peace in the coming year. This porridge simmers not just ingredients, but the taste of home and hopes for the new year.
Making Laba Garlic: A Northern Green Delicacy
In northern China, particularly in the Huabei region, there is another interesting custom—making “Laba Garlic.” On this day, people soak peeled garlic cloves in rice vinegar and seal the container. By the time the Chinese New Year arrives, the garlic cloves turn a vibrant jade green, and the vinegar acquires a tangy, slightly spicy garlic flavor.
This emerald-green Laba Garlic and the savory vinegar are the perfect accompaniment for dumplings during the New Year’s feast, adding a unique flavor to the reunion dinner.
Gratitude and Well-Wishing
Carrying on the ancient sacrificial tradition, the Laba Festival is a time for people to express gratitude for the protection of ancestors and deities over the past year and to pray for favorable weather, peace, and prosperity in the coming year. It reminds us not to forget to be thankful for what we have in our busy lives.
The Laba Festival Today
Nowadays, while the Laba Festival is not as grand as the Spring Festival, its warm customs are still cherished by many. Many temples continue the tradition of distributing porridge, and households still enjoy cooking a pot of Laba Porridge to experience this unique holiday warmth.
In summary, the Laba Festival is a holiday full of warmth and human touch. It uses the warmth of a bowl of porridge to withstand the winter cold; with a simple ritual, it connects the past and the future, announcing that the New Year is just around the corner.
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