Laba Festival, commonly known as "Laba", refers to the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month (December). The Laba Festival is a festival used to worship ancestors and gods and pray for a good harvest and good luck. According to legend, this day is the day when Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, became enlightened under Buddha Yabodhi and founded Buddhism, which is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Therefore, it is also known as the Laba Festival. It is called "Buddha Enlightenment Festival".

In China, there is a custom of drinking Laba porridge and soaking Laba garlic in the Laba Festival. In Henan and other places, Laba porridge is also called "everyone's meal". It is a festival food custom commemorating the national hero Yue Fei.

Food customs:

1. Laba porridge

On Laba day, there is a custom of drinking Laba porridge. Laba porridge is also called "Seven treasures and five flavors porridge". The history of eating Laba porridge in our country has been more than a thousand years. It first started in the Song Dynasty. On every Laba day, whether it is the court, government, monastery or people's homes, they must make Laba porridge. In the Qing Dynasty, the custom of drinking Laba porridge became even more popular.

In the palace, the emperor, queen, prince, etc. all gave Laba porridge to the ministers of civil and military affairs and the attendant maids, and distributed rice, fruits, etc. to various temples for the monks to eat.

After the Laba porridge is cooked, you must first worship the gods and ancestors. If you want to give it to relatives and friends later, you must send it out before noon. Finally, the whole family eats it. Leftover Laba porridge, if you keep it for a few days and still have it left over, it is a good sign, which means "more than enough every year". If you give porridge to poor people, it will be a good thing for yourself.

2. Laba Garlic

In most parts of North China, there is a custom of soaking garlic in vinegar on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which is called "Laba Garlic". Pickling Laba garlic is a custom in North China. Ten days after Laba, it is the Spring Festival. Due to the soaking in vinegar, the whole garlic turns green, which is very beautiful, and the vinegar also has the spiciness of garlic. On New Year's Eve, around the Spring Festival, we eat dumplings and cold dishes with Laba garlic and vinegar. It tastes very good.

3. Laba Tofu

"Laba Tofu" is an Laba tofu folk specialty in Huizhou and Guizhou counties. On Laba on the eve of the Spring Festival, that is, around the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, every household in Qianxian County Tofu must be sun-dried. Folks call this naturally sun-dried tofu "Laba Tofu".

4. Laba Noodles

In some places in northern China that do not or rarely produce rice, people do not eat Laba porridge, but eat Laba noodles. The next day, make sautee with various fruits and vegetables, roll out the noodles, and on the morning of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the whole family will eat Laba noodles.