The Laba Festival

Traditional festivals are an important part of the long history and splendid culture of the Chinese nation. They evolved over millennia and have become a record of the colorful life on this land. This year we are starting a new column to introduce the most important traditional Chinese festivals in each month as a way to inform our readers of Chinese culture.

- Dang Xiaofei

THE Laba Festival is a major festival in La month (the 12th month on the Chinese lunar calendar), falling on its eighth day. On the Gregorian calendar this year, it falls on January 13. Laba is also regarded as a prelude to the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, as there are only three weeks left before its coming. This festival is more than 1,000 years old. The ancient Chinese made sacrifices to their ancestors and the deities on this day to wish for bountiful harvests and good luck over the next year. In many parts of China, people cook Laba porridge as a way of celebration.

Origin of the Laba Festival

Everyone knows this festival in China, but how did it come into being? In ancient times, the Chinese called the act of making sacrifices to their ancestors, la, and the day of sacrifice giving to wish for safety, harvest, and health “the day of la.” As the Laba festival was on the 12th lunar month, this month was consequently called “month of la.”

The day of la has different names in different dynasties. It was fixed on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589). Some say it was the day when Sakyamuni became Buddha, and that’s why it is a grand Buddhist festival.

Laba Festival Legends

There are also many legends about the origins of this festival, among which the following three are the most widespread.