Laba Festival

The Laba Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the eighth day of the twelfth month (known as Layue, or in Chn.， 腊月） of the lunar Chinese calendar. In China, there is a custom of eating Laba Congees on this day.

History

After Buddhism was spread to China during the 1st century AD, in order to commemorate the date when Gautama Buddha achieved his Enlightenment at the age of 35, Buddhists all over China must read scriptures and cook congees on the day. During the Qing dynasty, ceremonies held in Yonghe Temple in Beijing during the Laba Festival were quite huge.

Customs

Eating the Laba Congees is the most important custom of the festival. In many places of Northeast China, Northwest China and Jiangnan, this custom has been preserved, but the custom becomes rarer in South China. Another custom is the soaking of Laba garlic. Using vinegar to soak Laba garlic from the day of Laba Festival until twenty days laters, around the lunar Chinese New Year, the garlic turns green while the vinegar embraces the taste of garlic. The vinegar and Laba garlic are then used alongside jiaozhi for dining.