Laba is celebrated on the eighth day of the last lunar month, referring to the traditional start of celebrations for the Chinese New Year. “La” in Chinese means the 12th lunar month and “ba” means eight.
Legends about the origin of this festivity abound. One holds that over 3,000 years ago sacrificial rites called “La ” were held in the twelfth lunar month when people offered their preys to the gods of heaven and earth. The Chinese characters for prey and the twelfth month were interchangeable then, and ever since “La” has been used to refer to both.
Since the festival was held on the eighth day of the Last month, people later appended the number eight (“ba” in Chinese), giving us the current Laba .
The majority Han Chinese have long followed the tradition of eating Laba rice porridge on the Laba Festival. The date usually falls in mid-January.
The majority Han Chinese have long followed the tradition of eating laba rice porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The date usually falls in min-January and is a traditional Chinese festival.
Legend about the origin of this festivity abounds One maintains that over 3,000 years ago sacrificial rites were held in the twelfth lunar month when people offered up their prey to the gods of heaven and earth. The Chinese characters for the hunt and the twelfth month (lie and la) were interchangeable then, and ever since la has been used to refer to both. Since the festival was held on the eighth day of the last month, people later appended the number eighth (ba in Chinese), giving us the current laba.
Buddhism was well accepted in the areas inhabited Han Chinese, who believed that Sakyamuni, the first Buddha and founder of the religion, attained enlightenment on 12/8. Sutras were chanted in the temples and rice porridge with beans, nuts and dried fruit was prepared for the Buddha. With time the custom extended, especially in rural areas where peasants would pray for a plentiful harvest in this way.
There is, however, another touching story. When Sakyamuni was on his way into the high mountains in his quest for understanding and enlightenment, he grew tired and hungry. Exhausted from days of walking, he passed into unconsciousness by a river in India. A shepherdess found him there and fed him her lunch—porridge made with beans and rice. With such nourishment he was able to continue his journey. After six years of strict discipline, he finally realized his dream of full enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Ever since, monks have prepared rice porridge on the eve ad held a ceremony the following day, during which they chant the sutras and offer porridge to Buddha. Thus, the tradition of eating laba porridge was based in religion, though with time the food itself became a popular winter dish especially in cold northern China.
Laba porridge is made with local specialties such as ginkgo fruits, water chestnuts, chestnuts, lotus seeds and red beans in addition to the rice. Actually eight ingredients are used, cooked with sugar to make the porridge wonderfully sweet. Northerners prefer to use glutinous rice, red beans, dates, lotus sees, dried longan pulp, walnuts, pine nuts and other dried fruits in their porridge; southerners like a salty porridge prepared with rice, soybeans, peanuts, broad beans, taro, water chestnuts, walnuts, vegetables and diced meat. Some people like to add cinnamon and other condiments to inject flavor. Controlling the heat is of great importance in the outcome. At the start, the flame must be high, but the fire is then turned down to let the porridge simmer until it begins to emit avery delicious smell. The process is time-consuming but not complicated.
Laba porridge is not only easy to prepare, but also a nutritious winter food because it contains amino acids, protein and other vitamins people need. Cooked nuts and dried fruit are good for smoothing nerves, nourishing one’s heart and vitality, and strengthening the spleen. Perhaps that is why it is also called babao (Eight Treasure) porridge
Laba Festival there are two legendary origin. Buddha Sakyamuni Buddha said that a move mountain cultivation. December eighth day that day because of hunger and fatigue Zaidao street, was a shepherdess found with large gruel saved so that he Dachedawu. Enlightenment and Buddha. One said that the Ming emperor Zhu Yuan-hour cattle to the rich because the rich bracket was broken off in a room, three days did not give anything to eat, he was unbearable hunger. Searched everywhere. Finally found a rat hole, dig out the beans, grain and other food, Zhu Chengyu consumption, find it very sweet.
Later, the emperor made the emperor, thinking a child eat porridge and that the taste of Dayton, he ordered his eunuchs to use a variety of food cooked up a pot of sugar porridge, feast courtiers, after North Korea Wenwubaiguan emulated and passed civil society, Sui Cheng A holiday customs. By Zhu Yuan sugar porridge eighth day of the days of the twelfth lunar month, so this porridge is also called “laba porridge” of
“Laba” is a grand festival of Buddhism. Before the liberation around the temple for Buddha‘s Birthday will be held prayers, and, like the Buddha into the Road, before the story of The Legend of chylous Munv Xian, with fragrant valley, fruit, etc. porridge worship Buddha, called “laba porridge.” Laba porridge and will be presented to the disciples and the believers, it would be in civil Xiangyan into the vulgar. Some monasteries in the twelfth lunar month is said to eighth day before the hand-held by the monks alms bowl, street alms, will be collected rice, chestnuts, dates, nuts and other ingredients laba porridge distributed to the poor
After eating legend could be the Buddha‘s blessing, so poor, it is called the “Buddha congee.” Southern Song Dynasty, Lu You a poem that goes: “at the present Buddha congee is more relative to feed, and anti-sense Emura a new section of material.” Hangzhou temples temple is said to store leftovers within a “stack of rice floor,” usually every day the monks leftovers dried, plot a years of surplus grain to the lunar calendar laba porridge boiled eighth day he gave copies to his followers, known as “Fu-zhou” “Ford porridge,” which means that after eating you can Zengfu Zengshou. It is obvious that the monks cherish the virtues of food.
Legend
Laba rice porridge was first introduced to China in the Song Dynasty about 900 years ago.
Buddhism was well accepted in the areas inhabited by the Han Chinese, who believed that Sakyamuni, the first Buddha and founder of the religion, attained enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth month. Sutras were chanted in the temples and rice porridge with beans, nuts and dried fruit was prepared for the Buddha. With the passing of time the custom extended, especially in rural areas where peasants would pray for a plentiful harvest in this way.
There is, however, another touching story: When Sakyamuni was on his way into the high mountains in his quest for understanding and enlightenment, he grew tired and hungry. Exhausted from days of walking, he fainted away by a river in India. A shepherdess found him there and fed him her lunch — porridge made with beans and rice. Sakyamuni was thus able to continue his journey.
After six years of strict discipline, he finally realized his dream of full enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Ever since, monks have prepared rice porridge on the eve and held a ceremony the following day, during which they chant sutras and offer porridge to Buddha. Thus, the tradition of eating Laba porridge was based in religion, though with the passing of time the food itself became a popular winter dish especially in cold northern China.
According to written records, large Buddhist temples would offer Laba rice porridge to the poor to show their faith to Buddha. In the Ming Dynasty about 500 years ago, it became such a holy food that emperors would offer it to their officials during festivals. As it gained favor in the feudal upper class, it also quickly became popular throughout the country.
Laba Rice Porridge
Laba rice porridge contains glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, peas, dried lotus seeds, red beans and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnut meat, walnut meat, almond, peanut, etc. Actually eight ingredients are used, cooked with sugar to make the porridge tasty.
Northerners prefer to use glutinous rice, red beans, dates, lotus seeds, dried pulp（果肉）, walnuts, pine nuts and other dried fruits in their porridge; southerners like a salty porridge prepared with rice, soybeans, peanuts, broad beans, taro, water chestnuts, walnuts, vegetables and diced meat. In the north, it is a dessert with sugar added; in the south, salt is put in. Some people like to add cinnamon and other condiments to add flavor.
Controlling the heat is of great importance in making Laba porridge. At the start, the flame must be high, but the fire is then turned down to let the porridge simmer until it begins to emit a very delicious smell. The process is time-consuming but not complicated.
Laba porridge is not only easy to prepare, but also a nutritious winter food because it contains amino acids, protein, vitamins and other nutrition people need. Cooked nuts and dried fruit are good for soothing nerves, nourishing one‘‘s heart and vitality, and strengthening the spleen. Perhaps that is why it is also called babao (Eight Treasure) porridge.
Thelaba porridge is not only a yummy traditional rite in China to mark the laba festival but also a delicacy good for health.
翻译：
腊八在阴历最后一个月庆祝，标志者中国新年庆祝的开始。 “腊” 在汉语中意味着阴历第十二个月，“八”意思是8。
这个节日起源的传说很多。其中之一认为三千多年前名叫“腊”的献祭的仪式在阴历第十二个月举行，这天，人们对天神和地神供奉猎物。在那是汉字“猎物”和第十二个月“腊”是可以相互替代的，从那时起，“腊”一直用于指二者。
大部分中国汉族人长期遵循在腊八节吃腊八粥的传统。日期通常在一月中旬。
腊八节的由来有两个传说。一说佛祖释迦牟尼成佛前进山修行．十二月初八这天因饥饿劳累栽倒路旁， 被一牧羊女发现，用大米粥救活，使他大彻大悟．得道成佛。一说，明朝皇帝朱元璋小时给财主放牛，因牛腿摔断被财主关在一间屋子里，3天没给饭吃， 他饥饿难忍．到处搜寻．终于发现了一个老鼠洞，从中挖掘出豆、谷等各种粮食，煮成粥食用，觉得非常香甜。
后来朱元璋做了皇帝，想起小时候吃那顿粥 的味道，就命太监用各种粮食煮了一锅糖粥，欢宴群臣，后朝中文武百官争相效仿并传入民间，遂成了一种节日习俗。因朱元璋吃糖粥的日子是腊月初八， 所以这粥也就叫”腊八粥”了
“腊八”是佛教的盛大节日。解放以前各地佛寺作浴佛会，举行诵经，并效仿释迦牟尼成道前， 牧女献乳糜的传说故事，用香谷、果实等煮粥供佛，称“腊八粥”。并将腊八粥赠送给门徒及善男信女们，以后便在民间相沿成俗。据说有的寺院于腊 月初八以前由僧人手持钵盂，沿街化缘，将收集来的米、栗、枣、果仁等材料煮成腊八粥散发给穷人
传说吃了以后可以得到佛祖的保佑，所以穷人把 它叫做“佛粥”。南宋陆游诗云：“今朝佛粥更相馈，反觉江村节物新。”据说杭州名刹天宁寺内有储藏剩饭的“栈饭楼”平时寺僧每日把剩饭晒干， 积一年的余粮，到腊月初八煮成腊八粥分赠信徒，称为“福寿粥”“福德粥”意思是说吃了以后可以增福增寿。可见当时各寺僧爱惜粮食之美德。
传说
腊八粥在大约900年前的宋代首次引入中国。
在汉族人居住的地区，佛教被广泛地接受，人们相信第一个佛和佛教的创始人释迦牟尼在第十二个月的第八天得到了启发。佛经在寺庙了被吟诵，含豆、坚果和干果的粥用来供奉佛主。随着时间的推移，这个风俗扩展开了，尤其是在乡村地区，农民们以这种方式祈祷好的收成。
然而，还有一个动人的故事：当释迦牟尼在通向他寻求领悟和启发的高山的路上，他又累又饿。由于几天的行走而产生的疲惫，他在印度的一条河边晕倒。一个牧羊女发现了她并喂他午饭，饭是由豆和米做成的粥。于是，释迦牟尼能够继续他的旅程。
经过六年严格的修行，他最终于十二月的第八天实现了他完全启发的梦想。从那时到现在，僧侣们在前日准备米粥，在第二天举行仪式，在此期间，他们吟诵佛经，并为佛祖供奉米粥。因而，吃腊八粥的传统是以宗教基于宗教的，可是，随着时间的推移，这种食物本身尤其是在寒冷的北方成为受欢迎的冬季食物。
根据文字记录，大的佛教寺庙会为穷人提供腊八粥，以表达他们对佛祖的虔诚。在大约500年前的明代，腊八粥成为如此神圣的食品，以至皇帝在节日期间向他的官员们提供。由于腊八粥在封建社会的上层阶级中得宠，它也很快在全国流行。
腊八粥
腊八粥含糯米、红豆、小米、高梁、豌豆、干莲子和其它成份，如干枣、栗子肉、核桃仁、杏仁、花生等。实际上使用八种配料，加上糖使粥更可口。
北方人更喜欢用糯米、红豆、枣、莲子、果肉、胡桃和其它干果做腊八粥。
腊八节喝腊八粥是中国传统习俗。腊八粥不仅好喝，对身体也十分有益。
