When is Laba Festival?
Laba Festival, a traditional festival in China, is commonly known as Laba. This festival falls on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month every year, and is mainly popular in northern China. The custom of this festival is to drink Laba porridge. Laba is one of the grand festivals in Buddhism, and it is the day when Buddha Sakyamuni became a monk and became a Taoist. It is also called Magic Weapon Festival, Buddhism and Taoism Festival and Daohui. The word Laba originated from the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and was also called Laba at that time. Originally a Buddhist festival, it has gradually become a household name through the evolution of several generations.
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.
Customs of Laba Festival:
1, eating Laba porridge is an important custom of Laba Festival. "Eat Laba porridge and look forward to the New Year." A bowl of Laba porridge symbolizes complete prosperity, auspiciousness, health and everything, which not only drives away the chill, but also contains people's expectation and happiness for the new year.
2. Laba garlic is a traditional snack, which is mainly popular in the north of China, especially in the north. Garlic soaked in vinegar, green all over, like jade and jasper, is a necessary holiday custom of Laba Festival.
3. Laba tofu is also a food custom of Laba Festival. Before and after Laba, every household should sun tofu. Over time, people call this naturally dried tofu "Laba tofu". Laba tofu is made of raw materials such as soybeans, peppers and spiced spices through traditional handicrafts, and is known as "vegetarian ham".