The origin of Laba Festival Laba Festival was originally a traditional Buddhist festival.

"Laba Festival" is a traditional Chinese festival. When it comes to Laba Festival, perhaps everyone has heard of it, but when it comes to the origin of Laba Festival, probably not many people know it. Next, let’s learn about the origin of Laba Festival.

The Origin of Laba Festival

This is a story related to Buddhism. It is said that before Sakyamuni became a Buddha, he was so hungry that he was emaciated and had no strength. He met a shepherdess, who gave him gruel to eat. After he recovered his strength, he sat under the Bodhi tree to practice, and finally attained enlightenment on December 8th. According to the lunar calendar at that time, it was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, also known as Laba.

When is Laba Festival?

January 17, 2017, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Sunday

Suitable for offering sacrifices, fasting, collecting money, catching and hunting

Avoid marriage, opening of business, moving into new house, setting up bed, breaking ground, burial

Customs of Laba Festival

1. Laba porridge. In ancient my country, during the Laba Festival, people from the imperial court, government offices, temples and ordinary people would drink Laba porridge. Especially in the Qing Dynasty, the custom of drinking Laba porridge on Laba Festival became more popular.
2. Show favor. In the Han Chinese areas, Laba Festival is a Buddhist festival. Every Laba Festival, all temples would hold sutra chanting ceremonies, and the emperor would distribute rice, fruit, etc. to each temple for the monks to eat. The monks in various temples will also follow the story of the shepherdess offering gruel and give Laba porridge to the poor families around. In the folk, every household also makes Laba porridge to worship their ancestors. At the same time, the family gathers together to eat it and gives it to relatives and friends.