Laba Festival
Encyclopedia
The Laba Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar Chinese calendar
(known as Layue, or in Chinese
， 臘月）). In China
, it is customary on this day to eat Laba Congee
.
Laba festival was a celebration of the new harvest.
After Buddhism
spread to China during the first century AD, the festival was used as commemoration of Gautama Buddha
's enlightenment at the age of 35. In the Qing dynasty
, ceremonies for the Laba festival would have been held in the Yonghe Temple
in Beijing
.
(臘八粥) was an important element of the festival. In Northeast China
, Northwest China and Jiangnan
, this custom has been preserved, but it has become rarer in South China
.
Another custom is the soaking of Laba garlic. Garlic is soaked in vinegar for twenty days starting from Laba festival. The garlic and vinegar is then used alongside Chinese dumplings (or jiaozi
) around Chinese new year.
, chestnuts, peanuts, water caltrop
, walnuts, raisins, melon seeds and haw jelly.
Other congees are made of mixed rice, beans and various types of nuts and dates. Sometimes the congee is decorated with coloured sweets or dried fruits.
Chinese calendar
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well...
(known as Layue, or in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
， 臘月）). In China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, it is customary on this day to eat Laba Congee
Laba congee
Laba congee is a ceremonial congee dish eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth month in the Chinese calendar. It originated in India.The day on which it is traditionally eaten is commonly known as the Laba Rice Porridge Festival or Magic Festival . As a folklore, it is used to celebrate the harvest...
.
History
Before the Qin DynastyQin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
Laba festival was a celebration of the new harvest.
After Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
spread to China during the first century AD, the festival was used as commemoration of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
's enlightenment at the age of 35. In the Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, ceremonies for the Laba festival would have been held in the Yonghe Temple
Yonghe Temple
The Yonghe Temple , also known as the "Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple", the "Yonghe Lamasery", or - popularly - the "Lama Temple" is a temple and monastery of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism located in the northeastern part of Beijing, China. It is one of the largest and most...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Customs
Traditionally, the consumption of Laba CongeeLaba congee
Laba congee is a ceremonial congee dish eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth month in the Chinese calendar. It originated in India.The day on which it is traditionally eaten is commonly known as the Laba Rice Porridge Festival or Magic Festival . As a folklore, it is used to celebrate the harvest...
(臘八粥) was an important element of the festival. In Northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
, Northwest China and Jiangnan
Jiangnan
Jiangnan or Jiang Nan is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including the southern part of the Yangtze Delta...
, this custom has been preserved, but it has become rarer in South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
.
Another custom is the soaking of Laba garlic. Garlic is soaked in vinegar for twenty days starting from Laba festival. The garlic and vinegar is then used alongside Chinese dumplings (or jiaozi
Jiaozi
Jiǎozi 餃子 or 饺子 , bánh bột luộc , gyōza , Mo:Mo: or Momocha म:म: or ममचा , or pot sticker is a Chinese dumpling widely spread to Japan, Eastern and Western Asia.Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into...
) around Chinese new year.
Laba congee
Congee for the imperial court would have been made of cream, lamb, various mixed grains, dried red dates, longanLongan
Dimocarpus longan, commonly known as the longan, is a tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia, in the Indomalaya ecozone known for its edible fruit.-Vernacular names:The fruit is known as longan or longyan in English...
, chestnuts, peanuts, water caltrop
Water caltrop
The water caltrop, water chestnut, buffalo nut, bat nut, devil pod or Singhara or Pani-fol is either of two species of the genus Trapa: Trapa natans and Trapa bicornis...
, walnuts, raisins, melon seeds and haw jelly.
Other congees are made of mixed rice, beans and various types of nuts and dates. Sometimes the congee is decorated with coloured sweets or dried fruits.