Chinese people start their preparations for the Spring Festival more than 20 days ahead. The 12th lunar month in Chinese is called la yue, so the eighth day of this lunar month is la yue chu ba, or laba. The day is also known as the Laba Rice Porridge Festival. The Laba this year falls on January 18th.

腊八粥 Laba porridge

Traditionally, the Laba porridge is the most important element of the festival.

Generally, the porridge contains eight ingredients which can include glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, peas, dried lotus seeds and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnut meat, walnut meat, almond and peanut, etc.

Since the earliest beginning of the Song Dynasty, this porridge has been popular in the royal court, local authorities, temples and common families.

The Laba porridge is called "Union Food" in Henan province, which is a food custom in memory of China's national hero Yue Fei.

腊八蒜 Laba garlic

Another custom is the soaking of Laba garlic. The practice is very simple. Put the stripped garlic cloves into a sealed jar, and then pour vinegar into it.

Gradually, the color of those garlic cloves will turn green. By the time of the Spring Festival, you can taste the garlic while eating dumplings.

腊八面 Laba noodles

In some places of the North that do not produce or produce less of the rice, people eat the Laba noodles instead of the Laba porridge.

One day before the festival, people cut up all kinds of fruits and vegetables and prepare the noodle roll. Then in the morning of the Laba Festival, the whole family can eat the Laba noodles.