The written word and tradition in China

Editor's note: The Chinese character 粥 ("zhou"), meaning porridge, is the keyword for China's Laba Festival. The festival falls on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, usually in December or January. This year, it falls on Dec. 30. 

The Laba Festival was originally a festival marking the Buddha's enlightenment and it has since evolved into a popular folk festival. One of the most important aspects of the Laba Festival is the consumption of Laba porridge, a hearty and nourishing dish made from a variety of ingredients, including cereals, beans, nuts and dried fruits. On this day every year in the past, the royal court, local authorities, temples and ordinary families all stewed and ate Laba porridge to express their respect for the Buddha and their ancestors, and also prayed for peace and good health in the coming year.

In north China, a widely-spread nursery rhyme goes, "Kids, kids, don't be greedy; after the Laba, the New Year will say hey," which means that the Laba Festival marks the beginning of preparations for the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival in China.

If you'd like to try making traditional Laba porridge at home, here is a recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

?1 cup of mixed red beans, black soybeans, kidney beans

?1 cup of mixed glutinous rice, sorghum rice, black rice, barley, oats

?1/2 cup of mixed peanuts, longans (peeled off), raisins, Chinese dates

?2 tablespoons of crystal sugar

?7-8 cups of water

Instructions:

1.Wash the cereals and beans, and soak them for 3-4 hours.

2.Wash the nuts and dried fruits, and set them aside.

3.Place the cereals, beans and Chinese dates in a pot and add 7-8 cups of water.

4.Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 60 minutes over low heat, frequently stirring to prevent burning.

5.Add the nuts, dried fruits and crystal sugar to the pot, and continue simmering for an additional 30 minutes.

6.Turn off the heat and let the porridge sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with your choice of vegetable dishes.

Note: This porridge can be made all year round, and you can add mung beans or lily bulbs in the summer to help cool the body. Feel free to improvise with your own ingredients and variations on the recipe to suit your own tastes.

Read more about Spring Festival countdown customs：

Chinese keywords and Spring Festival countdown customs