Laba Festival 腊八节

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Origin

Laba is celebrated on the eighth day of the last lunar month, referring to the traditional start of celebrations for the Chinese New Year. La in Chinese means the 12th lunar month and ba means eight.

Legends about the origin of this festivity abound. One holds that over 3,000 years ago sacrificial rites called La (腊) were held in the twelfth lunar month when people offered up their preys to the gods of heaven and earth. The Chinese characters for prey (猎物) and the twelfth month (腊 La) were interchangeable then, and ever since La has been used to refer to both. Since the festival was held on the eighth day of the Last month, people later appended the number eight (ba in Chinese), giving us the current Laba.

The majority Han Chinese have long followed the tradition of eating Laba rice porridge on the Laba Festival. The date usually falls in mid-January.

Legend

Laba rice porridge was first introduced to China in the Song Dynasty about 900 years ago.

Buddhism was well accepted in the areas inhabited by the Han Chinese, who believed that Sakyamuni, the first Buddha and founder of the religion, attained enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth month. Sutras were chanted in the temples and rice porridge with beans, nuts and dried fruit was prepared for the Buddha. With the passing of time the custom extended, especially in rural areas where peasants would pray for a plentiful harvest in this way.

There is, however, another touching story: When Sakyamuni was on his way into the high mountains in his quest for understanding and enlightenment, he grew tired and hungry. Exhausted from days of walking, he passed into unconsciousness by a river in India. A shepherdess found him there and fed him her lunch -- porridge made with beans and rice. Sakyamuni was thus able to continue his journey. After six years of strict discipline, he finally realized his dream of full enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Ever since, monks have prepared rice porridge on the eve and held a ceremony the following day, during which they chant sutras and offer porridge to Buddha. Thus, the tradition of eating Laba porridge was based in religion, though with the passing of time the food itself became a popular winter dish especially in cold northern China.

According to written records, large Buddhist temples would offer Laba rice porridge to the poor to show their faith to Buddha. In the Ming Dynasty about 500 years ago, it became such a holy food that emperors would offer it to their officials during festivals. As it gained favor in the feudal upper class, it also quickly became popular throughout the country.

Laba Rice Porridge

Laba rice porridge contains glutinous rice, red beans, millet, Chinese sorghum, peas, dried lotus seeds, red beans and some other ingredients, such as dried dates, chestnut meat, walnut meat, almond, peanut, etc. Actually eight ingredients are used, cooked with sugar to make the porridge tasty. Northerners prefer to use glutinous rice, red beans, dates, lotus seeds, dried long‘an pulp, walnuts, pine nuts and other dried fruits in their porridge; southerners like a salty porridge prepared with rice, soybeans, peanuts, broad beans, taro, water chestnuts, walnuts, vegetables and diced meat. In the north, it is a dessert with sugar added; in the south, salt is put in. Some people like to add cinnamon and other condiments to add flavor.

Controlling the heat is of great importance in making Laba porridge. At the start, the flame must be high, but the fire is then turned down to let the porridge simmer until it begins to emit a very delicious smell. The process is time-consuming but not complicated.

Laba porridge is not only easy to prepare, but also a nutritious winter food because it contains amino acids, protein, vitamins and other nutrition people need. Cooked nuts and dried fruit are good for soothing nerves, nourishing one‘s heart and vitality, and strengthening the spleen. Perhaps that is why it is also called babao (Eight Treasure) porridge.

中国农历十二月初八，是中国传统的腊八节。“腊”本是中国远古时代一种祭礼的名称，用于祭祀祖先和天地神灵的仪式，祈求来年五谷丰登，家人平安、吉祥。

由于腊祭活动常在十二月举行，故称该月为腊月，但腊祭的日子并不固定。古时据传腊祭之神有八种，于是腊月初八便成了固定的祭日。古称“腊日”，俗称腊八节。后来佛教传入中国，相传农历十二月初八是佛祖释迦牟尼的成道日。因此这天也是佛教节日，叫做“成道节”。

腊八节除祭祖敬神的活动外，人们还要逐疫和吃“腊八粥”。中国喝腊八粥的的历史，已有一千多年。每逢腊八这一天，不论是朝廷、官府、寺院，还是黎民百姓家都要做腊八粥。

到了清朝（1644—1911），喝腊八粥的风俗更是盛行。在宫廷，皇帝、皇后、皇子等都要向文武大臣、侍从宫女赐腊八粥，并向各个寺院发放米、果等供僧侣食用。在民间，家家户户也要做腊八粥，祭祀祖先。同时合家团聚在一起食用，并馈赠亲朋好友。吃腊八粥，已成为腊八特有的节日饮食文化。腊八粥又称七宝五味粥，是以各种米、豆、干果等做成。由于它的起源与佛教有关，是佛教的施斋供品，故又称“佛粥”、“福德粥”。腊八粥早在中国宋代（960—1297）即已出现，至今已有千年历史。

明代（1368—1644），腊八粥已成为皇帝赏赐朝臣的节令食品。清代（1644—1911）此俗更为普遍。腊八节那天，皇宫里用大锅煮腊八粥，请僧侣们诵经，帝后要向文武大臣、侍从宫女们赐粥。寺院僧侣们这天要举行隆重的育经及剃度活动，以庆祝释迦牟尼得道成佛。同时以杂粮干果等熬腊八粥供佛并馈赠来参加盛会的俗众。在北京的雍和宫中，至今仍保存着当时熬粥用的大铜锅。

腊八粥的用料因地区与口味的不同而略有差异。中国各地腊八粥的花样，争奇竞巧，品种繁多。其中以旧时北平的最为讲究，搀在白米中的物品较多，如红枣、莲子、核桃、栗子、杏仁、松仁、桂圆、榛子、葡萄、白果、菱角、青丝、玫瑰、红豆、花生……总计不下二十余种。人们在腊月初七的晚上，就开始忙碌起来，洗米、泡果、剥皮、去核、精拣，然后在半夜时分开始煮，再用微火炖，一直炖到第二天的清晨，腊八粥才算熬好了。

更为讲究的人家，还要先将果子雕刻成人形、动物、花样，再放在锅中煮。比较有特色的就是在腊八粥中放上“果狮”。果狮是用几种果子做成的狮形物，用剔去枣核烤干的脆枣作为狮身，半个核桃仁作为狮头，桃仁作为狮脚，甜杏仁用来作狮子尾巴。然后用糖粘在一起，放在粥碗里，活象一头小狮子。

近代多添加珍珠米、薏仁米、麦仁、黑米，有的还放白果、百合、莲子、桂圆、绿豆、花豆等，再配以蜜饯食品。这种粥不仅营养丰富，而且香甜可口。

腊八粥熬好之后，要先敬神祭祖。之后要赠送亲友，一定要在中午之前送出去。最后才是全家人食用。吃剩的腊八粥，保存着吃了几天还有剩下来的，却是好兆头，取其“年年有余”的意义。如果把粥送给穷苦的人吃，那更是为自己积德。

腊八粥在民间还有巫术的作用。假如院子里种着花卉和果树，也要在枝干上涂抹一些腊八粥，相信来年多结果实。在北京，连家中养的马、牛、羊、鸡、狗、猪等六畜也要喂几勺粥。这是因为传说天廷要在腊日派管理六畜的神灵下凡，查访各家六畜的生活情况。