The earliest origin of Lapa congee is from the story of Buddha's success in more than 1,000 years, and the custom of drinking Lapa congee on Lapa day is from the Song Dynasty. Xu Ke in the "Qing Barnyard Banknotes" records, Laha congee began in the Song Dynasty, the eighth day of December, the Tokyo temples to the seven treasures and five flavors and glutinous rice and boiled into a porridge, which has been followed to the present day, and the family is also modeled on the line.

Every Lahai day, whether it is the court, the government, the temple, or the people's homes, to do Lahai congee. In the Qing Dynasty, the custom of drinking Laha congee was even more prevalent.

In the court, the emperor, the empress and the emperor's son to the civil and military ministers, attendants courtesans give Lahai congee, and to the temple issued rice, fruit, etc., for the monks to cook Lahai congee, which is known as "Buddha porridge". In the folk world, families also do Laha congee, ancestor worship; at the same time, the family reunion together to eat, gifts to friends and relatives.

The famous Yonghegong Laha congee, in addition to river rice, millet and other grains, but also added diced mutton and cream, congee sprinkled with red dates, cinnamon, walnuts, raisins, melon seeds, green and red threads and so on.

Expanded

LaBa congee auspicious symbolism:

One of the sacrificial offerings, pray for blessings

China's ancient days of the Son of God in the LaBa Festival should be LaSai, sacrifices to the eight valleys of the star god, to celebrate a good harvest; prayers prayed for the coming year, the wind and the rain. Folk will be sacrificed to heaven and earth, ancestors, gods, thankful for the year's blessings, and pray for the next year to continue to give grace.

Anciently, dry things were called wax. At the end of the year, when the December sacrifice to the gods, vegetables, fruits, grains, etc., all become dry, sacrificial offerings are all dry. Later on, the offerings evolved from a variety of dry things, gradually evolved into Laha congee.

Two, gift friends and relatives, contact

After the sacrifice, neighbors, relatives and friends, there is the custom of giving each other Laha congee. Your home to send over, my home to send over, send people to politely say is to ask each other to taste their own flavor, the recipient is very happy to thank.

Three, the porridge, good deeds

Old times, the big families tend to more than boiled congee, the congee will be given to the poor, beggars, widows and orphans, in the cold winter, hot congee can be fruitful, can also be cold, is a kind of enjoyment for the poor.

People's Daily News - Laha Festival and Laha Porridge

Baidu Encyclopedia - Laha Porridge

People's Daily News - Eight Auspicious Symbols of Laha Porridge