Falling on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, Laba Festival was originally an occasion for people to give sacrifices to their ancestors, and to pray to heaven and earth for a good harvest and good luck for the family. It marks the start of Spring Festival. Many years later, it has become a Laba Congee eating event - a porridge that contains different types of rice, beans, dried nuts, bean curd, and meat.
臘八節是陰曆臘月初八，最初是人們祭祀祖先，祈求天地賜予他們豐收和好運的節日。臘八節標誌著春節的開始。許多年後，臘八節變成了一種吃臘八粥的活動，臘八粥是一種由不同種類的米、豆、乾果、豆腐和肉煮成的粥。
The 12th lunar month is called 'La' in Chinese, which is how the name 'Laba' was derived. It is not only regarded as a day of sacrifice, but also the day on which Sakyamuni (founder of Buddhism) realized truth and became a Buddha.
農曆的第十二個月在中文裡叫做「臘」，這就是「臘八」這個名字的由來。它不僅被認為是祭祀的日子，也是釋迦牟尼（佛教創始人）認識真理並且成佛的日子。
Legend of Laba Festival
臘 八 節 的 傳 說
As the son of a king in the north of ancient India, Sakyamuni could not bear the local people's suffering from illness and the theocracy ruled by Brahman (one of the four Indian classes). As a result, he abandoned his lofty position and went out to seek a way to enlighten himself according to religious doctrine.
作為古印度北部一位國王的兒子，釋迦牟尼無法忍受當地人民的病痛和婆羅門（印度四大階級之一）統治的神權政治。於是，他放棄了自己的崇高地位，去尋找一種根據宗教教義來開導自己的方法。
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 fainted away 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.
釋迦牟尼走在通往高山的路上，尋求領悟和啟迪，他又累又餓。幾天的步行使他筋疲力盡，他在印度的一條河邊暈倒了。一個牧羊女發現了他，並把自己的午飯給了他，是由豆子和米做成的粥，釋迦牟尼因此得以繼續他的旅程。
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 he 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.
經過六年嚴格的修行，他最終在十二月的第八天實現了他大徹大悟的夢。從那時起，僧侶們會在前日準備米粥，在第二天舉行儀式，在此期間，他們吟誦佛經，並為佛祖供奉米粥。因而，吃臘八粥的傳統是源於宗教的，可是，隨著時間的推移，臘八粥成為了非常受歡迎的冬季食物，特別是在寒冷的北方。
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 for in the feudal upper class, it also quickly became popular throughout the country.
根據文字記錄，大的佛教寺廟會為窮人提供臘八粥，以表達他們對佛祖的虔誠。在大約500年前的明代，臘八粥成為一種非常神聖的食物，以至在節日期間皇帝會給官員們賜粥。由於臘八粥在封建社會的上層階級中得寵，於是很快在全國流行。
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