Laba festival
The Laba festival ( Chinese 臘八 / 腊八 , Pinyin làbā ) is a traditional Chinese festival that is celebrated on the eighth day of the month Là ( 臘月 / 腊月 , làyuè - "twelfth month of the Chinese calendar"), with Là being the twelfth month of the Chinese calendar is. On this day the Laba porridge ( 臘八粥 / 腊八粥 , làbāzhōu , or 八寶粥 / 八宝粥 , bābǎozhōu ) is traditionally eaten. The origins of the Laba festival were sacrificial ceremonies at the end of the old year to give thanks for a rich harvest. Afterwards the people sat together and ate porridge (for example millet porridge, rice porridge, etc.). With the spread of Buddhism in China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties , the meaning of the festival changed. It always fell on the eighth day of the twelfth month and thus on the day Siddhartha Gautama woke up at the age of 35.
Traditionally, eating Laba porridge is an important part of the festival. In the north and northeast of China in particular, the custom is still very widespread and a signal for the coming Spring Festival . Another custom is soaking garlic in vinegar for 20 days in order to be served with jiaozi in time for the New Year celebrations .
Individual evidence
- ↑ làyuè - 臘月 / 腊月: (English, Chinese) [1] on www.zdic.net, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online
- ↑ làyuè - 臘月: (Chinese) [2] on dict.revised.moe.edu.tw, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online
- ↑ 臘八粥 的 故事 / 腊八粥 的 故事 - The story of Laba porridge: (Chinese) ( Memento from January 9, 2017 in the Internet Archive ).
- ↑ làbā - 臘八 / 腊八 - China celebrates Laba festival: [3] on german.cri.cn, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online
- ↑ làbā - 臘八 / 腊八 - Laba festival in China: [4] on german.cri.cn, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online
- ↑ làbājié - 臘八 節 / 腊八 节 - Laba Festival: (Chinese) [5] at www.cnrencai.com, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online
- ↑ làbājié - 臘八 節 / 腊八 节 - Laba Festival: (Chinese) [6] at www.ruiwen.com, accessed on January 31, 2019 - online