过了腊八就是年 | 英文版

Before Chinese New Year, 

there are two important dates in the last month 

of the Chinese lunar calendar. 

Laba Festival (腊八节Làbā jié) is one of them.

Là in Chinese means the 12th lunar month 

and 八bā means the eighth day. 

It marks a special day which falls on the 8th day 

of the 12th lunar month. 

This year, it falls on January 24^th.

Laba Porridge (腊八粥làbā zhōu) 

is well known to Chinese people. 

The porridge is also called 

"Eight Treasures Porridge"

（八宝粥bābǎozhōu）

because it was originally made of 

8 kinds of ingredients（食材shícái).

Nowadays, 

there are far more than 8 kinds. 

In the past, 

people ate the porridge to keep warm 

and celebrate the Laba Festival. 

＊Main Ingredients 主料 Zhǔ liào

rice(白米báimǐ) 

glutinous rice(糯米nuòmǐ) 

millet(小米xiǎomǐ)

＊Bean豆类 Dòu lèi

red bean(红豆hóngdòu)

green bean(绿豆lǜdòu)

pea bean(豌豆wāndòu)  

kidney bean(芸豆yúndòu)

＊Coarse grain杂粮 Zá liáng

barley(薏米yìmǐ）

wheat kernels(麦仁mài rén）

Chinese sorghum(高粱gāoliang）

＊Nuts 干果 Gān guǒ  

peanut(花生huāshēng）

dried lotus seed（莲子liánzǐ）

ginkgo(银杏yínxìng）

almond(杏仁xìngrén）

walnut(核桃hétao)

＊Fruits 果蔬 Guǒ shū

dried dates(枣zǎo）

dried longan(桂圆guìyuán)

white fungus(银耳yín'ěr)

Another custom is the soaking of 

Laba garlic（腊八蒜làbā suàn).

 Garlic is soaked（浸泡jìnpào）in vinegar 

for more than twenty days starting from Laba festival. 

Then, during Chinese New Year, 

the garlic and vinegar is used alongside dumplings（饺子jiǎozi）

on the table.

about the origins(起源qǐyuán) 

of this festival and we cannot tell 

which one is true.

But what we know today is that this festival started as 

a sacrificial offering to ancestors (祭祀祖先jìsì zǔxiān). 

It was also a time for the ancient Chinese 

to pray to heaven and earth that there would be

 a bountiful harvest(丰收fēngshōu). 

Many people hoped for good luck 

as well for the coming year.