Today is the eighth day of the Twelfth Lunar Month.

As the saying goes, after the Laba is the year, today is the Laba Festival, in Chinese folk, people are used to the lunar December called Laba, the eighth day of the laba month called Laba or Laba, and it as a traditional festival that "Laba festival" to treat.

The origin of Laba Festival

The most important festival of the twelfth lunar month is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, known in ancient times as "Labri", commonly known as "Laba Festival". Since the pre-Qin period, Laba Festival has been used to offer sacrifices to ancestors and gods, praying for good harvest and good luck. Laba Festival in addition to worship ancestor worship activities, people also follow the epidemic. This activity comes from the ancient Nuo (ancient exorcism of ghosts to avoid epidemics ceremony). One of the medical methods in prehistoric times was to exorcise ghosts to cure diseases. As a practice of witchcraft, the practice of drumming to ward off epidemics still exists in some parts of our country.

It is said that Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, achieved enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth month, so Laba is also a festival for Buddhists, also known as the "Buddha achieved Enlightenment Festival".

Laba Festival customs

Laba Festival Laba porridge

It is called "Seven treasures and Five flavors Congee". Laba porridge has been eaten in China for more than 1,000 years. It began in the Song Dynasty. Every Laba this day, whether it is the court, the government, the temple or the people to do Laba porridge.

Laba garlic is eaten on Laba Festival

Laba garlic is a custom in the north, especially in North China. As the name suggests, garlic is made on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.