Labaiscelebratedontheeighthdayofthelastlunarmonth,referringtothetraditionalstartofcelebrationsfortheChineseNewYear.LainChinesemeansthe12thlunarmonthandbameanseight.
Legendsabouttheoriginofthisfestivityabound.Oneholdsthatover3,000yearsagosacrificialritescalledLawereheldinthetwelfthlunarmonthwhenpeopleofferedtheirpreystothegodsofheavenandearth.TheChinesecharactersforpreyandthetwelfthmonthwereinterchangeablethen,andeversinceLahasbeenusedtorefertoboth.
SincethefestivalwasheldontheeighthdayoftheLastmonth,peoplelaterappendedthenumbereight(bainChinese),givingusthecurrentLaba.
ThemajorityHanChinesehavelongfollowedthetraditionofeatingLabariceporridgeontheLabaFestival.Thedateusuallyfallsinmid-January.
LabariceporridgewasfirstintroducedtoChinaintheSongDynastyabout900yearsago.
BuddhismwaswellacceptedintheareasinhabitedbytheHanChinese,whobelievedthatSakyamunithefirstBuddhaandfounderofthereligion,attainedenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthmonth.Sutraswerechantedinthetemplesandriceporridgewithbeans,nutsanddriedfruitwaspreparedfortheBuddha.Withthepassingoftimethecustomextended,especiallyinruralareaswherepeasantswouldprayforaplentifulharvestinthisway.
Thereis,however,anothertouchingstory:WhenSakyamuniwasonhiswayintothehighmountainsinhisquestforunderstandingandenlightenment,hegrewtiredandhungry.Exhaustedfromdaysofwalking,hefaintedawaybyariverinIndia.Ashepherdessfoundhimthereandfedhimherlunch--porridgemadewithbeansandrice.Sakyamuniwasthusabletocontinuehisjourney.
BuddhismwaswellacceptedintheareasinhabitedbytheHanChinese,whobelievedthatSakyamunithefirstBuddhaandfounderofthereligion,attainedenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthmonth.Sutraswerechantedinthetemplesandriceporridgewithbeans,nutsanddriedfruitwaspreparedfortheBuddha.Withthepassingoftimethecustomextended,especiallyinruralareaswherepeasantswouldprayforaplentifulharvestinthisway.
Thereis,however,anothertouchingstory:WhenSakyamuniwasonhiswayintothehighmountainsinhisquestforunderstandingandenlightenment,hegrewtiredandhungry.Exhaustedfromdaysofwalking,hefaintedawaybyariverinIndia.Ashepherdessfoundhimthereandfedhimherlunch--porridgemadewithbeansandrice.Sakyamuniwasthusabletocontinuehisjourney.