The origin of Laba porridge was first recorded in the Song Dynasty, which was mainly related to the story of Buddha becoming a Buddha. The eighth day of December is the day when Buddha Sakyamuni became a Buddha. In order not to forget the suffering of the Buddha before he became a Buddha, but also to commemorate the enlightenment of the Buddha on the eighth day of December, ancient Indians ate mixed porridge as a souvenir.

Since Buddhism was introduced to China from ancient India, temples have cooked porridge with fragrant valleys and fruits for their disciples and believers. On this day, various monasteries held ceremonies to imitate the story of a shepherd girl offering chyle before the Buddha became a monk, and cooked porridge for the Buddha with fragrant grains and fruits, named "Laba porridge".

Wu's Dream in the Southern Song Dynasty says: "On the eighth day of this month, the temple name is Laba. Dasha and other temples have five-flavored porridge called Laba porridge. " China has been drinking Laba porridge for more than 1000 years. On Laba Day, government agencies, monasteries and ordinary people's homes will cook Laba porridge. In the Qing Dynasty, the custom of drinking Laba porridge became more popular.

In some monasteries, monks hold bowls and give alms along the street before the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The collected rice, chestnuts, dates and nuts are boiled into Laba porridge and distributed to the poor. Everyone thinks that eating it can be blessed by the Buddha, so the poor call it "Buddha porridge". Some believers come specifically for "porridge" and think that Laba porridge is auspicious for the Buddha to eat, not only for their own consumption, but also for their families to enjoy. Year after year, the tradition of boiling Laba porridge in monasteries has spread widely among the people, and gradually formed the custom of drinking Laba porridge on Laba Festival in northern China.