Laba Festival: Laba Rice Porridge

今天吃腊八粥了么?——腊八节的来历和习俗

Introduction

腊八节简介

The Laba Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday observed on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. In China, it is customary on this day to eat Laba Congee. The date usually falls in mid-January. La in Chinese means the 12th lunar month and ba means eight.

农历十二月初八是中国的传统节日腊八节，这一天的习俗是吃腊八粥，通常是在阳历1月中旬。“腊”在中国表示农历的第十二个月，“八”表示初八。

History

历史

Before the Qin Dynasty Laba festival was a celebration of the new harvest. The Chinese characters for prey (猎) and the twelfth month (腊 La) were interchangeable then, and ever since La has been used to refer to both.

在秦朝以前，腊八节是为了庆祝丰收。中国汉字里的“猎”和“腊”在那个时候是通用的，也就是从那里起“腊”有了双层意思。

Legend

传说

The eight-treasure porridge was first introduced to China in the Song Dynasty about 1000 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.

腊八粥最早是在1000多年前的宋代被引入中国。佛教当时广泛被中国的汉族接受，他们相信佛教的创始者释迦牟尼，于腊月初八这一天悟道成佛。寺庙里吟颂佛经，准备含有豆类、坚果和干果的粥来纪念佛祖。随着时间的推移，这个风俗慢慢的流传，特别是在农村地区，农民们以这样的方式祈求来年的丰收。

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.

不过，还有一个感人的故事是这样的：释迦牟尼在前往高山修道的途中，又累又饿。数日的旅途奔波使他精疲力竭，昏迷在印度一条河边，一个牧羊女发现了他并喂他吃饭——豆类和大米混合的粥。释迦牟尼因而才能继续他的旅程。后经六年苦行，终于在腊月初八这一天悟道成佛。

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.

自那时起，僧侣们便在腊八的前夜准备米粥，并在腊八当天举行颂经和敬奉佛祖仪式。因此，尽管随着时间的推移，腊八粥成了流行的冬季食物，尤其是在中国寒冷的北方，但这个传统却是来自佛教。

Customs

习俗

Traditionally, the consumption of Laba Congee (Chinese腊八粥) was an important element of the festival. Actually eight ingredients are used, cooked with sugar to make the porridge tasty. In Northeast China, Northwest China and Jiangnan, this custom has been preserved, but it has become rarer in South China.

传统上，腊八粥是腊八节重要的一部分。一般来说要用到八种原料，并加上糖使粥更美味。在中国东北，西北和江南，这个习俗被传承了下来，但在中国南方却已变得罕见。

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.

北方人喜欢用糯米，红豆，红枣，莲子，干桂圆肉，核桃仁，松子和一些其它的干果煮粥;而南方人更喜欢用大米，大豆，花生，蚕豆，芋头，荸荠，核桃仁，蔬菜和肉丁煮咸粥。在北方，它是加了糖的甜点，在南方，人们喜欢加盐。还有些人喜欢放桂皮等其他调味品，以增加风味。

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.

煮腊八粥时控制好火候是关键。刚开始时要大火，火焰要高，但随后就要用微火慢炖，直到它开始散发出鲜美的味道。这个过程费时，但并不复杂。

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.

腊八粥不仅制作起来很容易，而且也是营养丰富的冬季食品，因为它含有的氨基酸，蛋白质，维生素和其它人体所需的营养，熟坚果和干果有利于舒缓神经，滋心脏、补元气、健脾胃。也许这就是为什么它也被称为八宝粥。

Another Laba food is Laba garlic, which is particularly popular in northern China. Garlic is soaked in vinegar for twenty days starting from Laba festival. The garlic and vinegar is then used alongside Chinese dumplings (or jiaozi) around Chinese new year.

另一个腊八节的食物是腊八蒜，尤其在中国北方很流行。大蒜被浸泡在醋里20天之后，在春节前后被用来伴着饺子吃。