The ancients had a tradition of offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods and praying for a bumper harvest. In some areas, they have the custom of drinking Laba porridge. According to legend, this day is also the day when Buddha Sakyamuni became a monk and became a Taoist. It is called "Magic Weapon Festival" and is one of the grand festivals in Buddhism.
At the end of the year, "La" has three meanings: one is "La, then it is also", which means the alternation of old and new (recorded in the Book of Rites of Sui Shu); The second is "wax hunters hunt together", which means that hunting in the wild can make animals sacrifice their ancestors and gods. "wax" comes from "meat", which means meat for "winter sacrifice"; Third, "Wax people, chasing the epidemic to welcome the spring."
Laba Festival is also called "Buddhist Enlightenment Festival" and "Enlightenment Meeting". In fact, it can be said that the eighth day of December is the origin of Laba Festival.
The reason why December of the lunar calendar is called "twelfth month"
"Sacrifice" explained above: "Wax man, Sawyer, December, gathering everything and seeking food." "wax" is similar to "wax" Sacrificing ancestors is called "wax" and sacrificing gods is called "wax". "Wax" and "Wax" are both sacrificial activities, which are mostly held in December of the lunar calendar, so people call December the twelfth month.