A festive atmosphere started to build up all over China on Tuesday, as members of the general public make traditional festive food together to embrace the Laba Festival -- a prelude to the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, in late January and early February.
The Laba Festival, literally the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, falls on Tuesday.
As the Laba Festival unfolds, the warmth of tradition and community spirit continues to bring families and friends together in anticipation of the upcoming New Year celebrations.
One of the main customs associated with Laba is the preparation of Laba porridge, enjoyed in both northern and southern China.
In Gucheng County of central China's Hubei Province, locals would gather to prepare the traditional Laba porridge, combining ingredients like lotus seeds, red dates and black rice.
"This kind of happiness is particularly explosive, and this kind of party like people dining together in a long queue makes me feel the strong festive atmosphere in the run-up to the Chinese New Year," said Xi Hongling, a local resident.
In north China's Shanxi Province, families would gather to make Laba garlic, a popular condiment for dumplings during the New Year holiday, peeling and soaking garlic in vinegar, sweeten with sugar.
"Laba garlic is a must-have side dish for dumplings, which implies the meaning of praying for safety and health. Besides, 'garlic' is a homophone for 'calculation' in the Chinese language, so eating Laba garlic is considered as a summary of the year past and a welcome for a better life in the new year," said Dong Shulin, a local resident.
In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, families in the Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner would cook a specialty dish for the festival, made of fermented yogurt with millet or glutinous rice.
"We also sing and dance. Every Laba Festival we are full of joy and have a very happy and enjoyable time," said Ao Guiqin, a local villager.
In Shexian County of east China's Anhui Province, villagers in Shanxiang Township would roll out new year preparations with lively cultural performances.
The Laba Festival celebrations would also reach military camps, where soldiers are served warm Laba porridge. Kitchen crew would rise up early in the morning to prepare the porridge using red beans, barley, red dates, and lotus seeds for their comrades.
"When it comes to the Laba Festival, my family would cook Laba porridge for me. Unexpectedly, when I joined the army, this big family, they also prepare Laba porridge for us. It allows me to taste the flavor of home and feel the meticulous care and warmth of the big family," said Tang Jichao, a soldier with the Shiyan Detachment, Hubei Armed Police Corps.
Even on the snow-blanketed plateau at an elevation of 4,800 meters, where the boiling point of water is only around 80 degrees Celsius, soldiers carefully prepared the Laba porridge with added ingredients like red dates, raisins and cashews.
"Although I cannot be reunited with my family on the occasion of the Laba Festival, I feel particularly warm to be able to celebrate the festival with so many comrades-in-arms. I think that I should focus on my post and fulfill the tasks. It is the best company and reward to my parents and relatives," said Lieutenant Cheng Rui, a soldier stationed in Xinjiang.
The Spring Festival is China's grandest traditional festival when people across the country return to their hometowns for Chinese New Year celebrations and family reunion.
Traditional Laba Festival observed in China in run-up to Spring Festival
