Chinanews client, Beijing, January 20th (Reporter Shangguanyun) "The twelfth lunar month winds and the mood has been in spring, and my neighbors have been swayed by the time." The Laba Festival is coming. In winter, a bowl of steaming Laba porridge is enough to warm people's stomachs. , Its approach seems simple, but it also has a long history.
There are various legends about the origin of the Laba Festival. In the long years, people have revolved around their daily lives, drinking Laba porridge, eating Laba tofu... to enjoy this festival.
The history of a bowl of porridge
Laba porridge can be called the iconic festival food of Laba Festival.
It is also called "Seven Treasures and Five Flavour Congee", "Family Rice" and so on.
Data map: Citizens take a selfie with Laba porridge in the Lama Temple in Beijing.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Han Haidan
Generally speaking, the commonly used ingredients in Laba porridge include rice, millet, red dates, lotus seeds, peanuts, longans, etc. and various beans. You can choose red beans, mung beans, soybeans, etc. according to personal preference.
"Guangyun·House Rhyme" records: "Porridge, Mi Ye." It is said that the ancient agricultural production technology was not developed and the output of grain was not so high. Porridge was the product of people's compromise with reality. It is relatively simple and convenient to make and can feed. more people.
Later, the function of porridge has entered the level of "health preservation", which is quite humanistic.
The great writer Su Dongpo is a gourmet, he once wrote a song "Bean Congee", praised the delicious porridge.
The custom of drinking "laba congee" is recorded in the Song Dynasty.
Xu Ke’s "Qing Barnyard Notes" mentioned: "Laba porridge began in the Song Dynasty. On the 8th day of December, the great temples in Tokyo made porridge with seven treasures and five flavors and glutinous rice. They have been followed up to the present, and others have imitated them."
The Southern Song Dynasty Wu Zimu's "Menglianglu" contains: "On the 8th of this month, the monastery is called Laba. Dasha and other temples all set up five-flavor porridge, called Laba porridge." A practice of Laba porridge is recorded in "Wulin History": "Use Porridge with walnuts, pine nuts, milk mushrooms, and persimmon chestnuts."
In the Qing Dynasty, the practice of Laba Congee was more complicated.
Fu Cha Dunchong recorded in "Yanjing Sui Shi Ji": Laba porridge people use yellow rice, white rice, Jiang rice, millet, water chestnut rice, chestnuts, red river beans, peeled jujube paste, etc., boiled in water, and dyed for external use. Peach kernels, almonds, melon seeds, peanuts, sticks, pine nuts and sugar, brown sugar, and triso grapes are used for dyeing.
The origin of "Laba Festival"
Among the various names of Laba porridge, one looks more special, called "Buddha porridge".
Speaking of it, this is also related to the origin of Laba Festival.
Data map: On the balcony, villagers are using corn, chili and other ingredients to spell out "Laba porridge" cartoon pictures, full of fun.
Photo by Hong Haijun
According to legend, Laba Festival is also "Buddha Enlightenment Festival".
According to legend, Shakyamuni enlightened and became a Buddha on the eighth day of December. After Buddhism was introduced to China, to worship Sakyamuni, the day when he became a Buddha, all monasteries should recite scriptures and cook porridge to worship Buddha on this day, that is, Laba porridge.
It is said that Laba Festival is related to the custom of "La Ji".
La is the month of the end of the year. Since the pre-Qin period, people have been accustomed to worship ancestors and gods in Lari, and there is also a more important activity, which is "to fight the epidemic."
Folklore expert Wang Juan explained that some people interpret "la" as "to pick up", meaning that the old and the new alternate, that is, "winter is over, spring is coming."
The customs of Lari have existed in ancient times, and the Laba Festival appeared even later.
Another legend reminds people to be diligent and thrifty.
There used to be a young couple who were so lazy.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, there was no food at home. Fortunately, the neighbors helped them. They used the rice noodles and beans they sent to cook a pot of porridge.
The young couple was so ashamed that they got rid of their bad habits, managed the house diligently and thriftily, and their days were getting better every day.
After that, people also cooked porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and this custom gradually became popular.
"There are several different theories about the origin of Laba Festival. There are also stories mentioning that the origin of Laba Festival is related to Zhu Yuanzhang." Wang Juan explained.
Eat and drink, not just porridge
In addition to the connotation of festivals, Wang Juan believes that Laba Festival is a time node. There is often a saying in the folks that “the New Year is after Laba”, and people are often busy preparing things for the New Year.
Data map: Red dates are added to Laba porridge, which is rich in nutrition and means auspiciousness.
Photo by Fang Huabin
"When we arrived in Laba, people also started to calculate the income and expenditure for a year. How much money others owe you and how much money you owe others. At this time, they must prepare to pay off their debts." She said.
In addition to porridge, there are many delicacies in this festival, many of which have the word "Laba" in their names.
For example, people want to pickle Laba garlic. After the garlic cloves become emerald green, they can eat dumplings and mixed cold dishes.
In addition, in different places, people also pay attention to food such as laba noodles and laba tofu.
There are also places where they pay attention to eating "wheat rice."
In fact, many lively folk customs are basically closely related to daily life. In the long time, they add some special meaning to ordinary days and also pin people's best hopes for the future.
How will you spend the Laba Festival?
(Finish)