The origin of Laba Festival is mainly related to a legend of Buddha Sakyamuni.

According to legend, the Buddha Sakyamuni practiced for many years but still achieved nothing. One day he jumped into the river to clear his head. After bathing, he could no longer crawl back to the shore. At this time, a woman named Suyada passed by and pulled him ashore. Suyada also gave him a bowl of porridge made of rice, chestnuts, etc. After eating it, Buddha became energetic and came to the bodhi tree to awaken. This day happened to be the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. From then on, Buddhist disciples called the eighth day of December the "Buddha Enlightenment Day". On this day, temples would distribute gruel to the world. Affected by this, the folk gradually formed the custom of eating Laba porridge during the Laba Festival.

Laba Festival, which is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month every year, is also known as the "Dharma Treasure Festival", "Buddha Enlightenment Festival", "Enlightenment Meeting", etc. Originally a Buddhist festival commemorating the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha, it gradually became a folk festival.