This article is the work of the famous writer Shen Congwen. The text revolves around the process of eight children waiting to eat Laba porridge cooked by their mother, which fully embodies the children's desire and love for Laba porridge, shows a simple, harmonious and warm picture, and shows deep affection. The language of the article is simple, concise and smooth, full of life breath; Showed us a strong local flavor, a strong national sentiment and a strong China flavor.
Laba Festival, that is, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, is also called "Magic Weapon Festival", "Buddhist Enlightenment Festival" and "Enlightenment Meeting". Originally a Buddhist festival to commemorate the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha, it gradually became a folk festival. Laba porridge, also known as "seven treasures and five flavors porridge", "Buddha porridge" and "everyone's meal", is a kind of porridge made of various ingredients.
The earliest written record of Laba porridge was in the Song Dynasty. 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 northern China, there is a saying that "children should not be greedy, it is the year after Laba", which means the prelude to the Chinese New Year. Every Laba Festival, the northern region is busy peeling garlic to make vinegar, soaking Laba garlic and eating Laba porridge. Laba is rarely mentioned in the south, and Laba Festival is a typical northern festival.