What are the origins and customs of Laha Festival?

Origin:

The Laha Festival, which falls on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, is characterized by the practice of "drinking Laha congee". Laha Festival is one of the grand festivals of Buddhism. According to Buddhist records, Siddhartha Gautama had practiced asceticism for many years before he became a Buddhist, and he realized that asceticism was not the way to liberation, and he decided to give up asceticism.

Then met a shepherdess presented milk, after eating the physical strength to recover, sitting under the Bodhi tree meditation, on December 8, "became a Taoist". To commemorate this event, the Buddhists held a puja on this day, using rice and fruits to make porridge for the Buddha. Wu Zimu (Southern Song Dynasty) wrote in Mengliang Lu (Records of the Dreaming Liang): "The eighth day of this month is called Lapa in monasteries. Dasha and other temples, all set up five-flavored porridge, called Laha congee." Since the introduction of Buddhism to China, monasteries have made congee from fragrant grains and fruits to give to disciples and good men and women.

On the day of Lapa, all monasteries held a puja, following the example of the shepherdess who offered milk and rice before the Buddha became a Taoist monk, and made congee with fragrant grains and fruits to offer to the Buddha, which was called Lapa congee. Legend has it that after drinking this porridge, you can get the blessing of Buddha, therefore, Laha congee is also called "Fukushou congee", "Fude congee", and "Buddha congee". "Lahai" was originally a Buddhist festival, and then evolved through the ages, gradually becoming a household name in the folk festival.

Customs:

1, drink vinegar on Lahai

Lahai vinegar, the traditional Lahai custom. The custom of soaking garlic in vinegar on the day of Lapa, the name "Lapa vinegar". Laha vinegar, to soak to the first day of the New Year, the first day to eat dumplings, to eat vegetarian dumplings, take the meaning of a year of vegetarian net net, dipped in Laha vinegar to eat, don't have a taste is. "Lahai vinegar" is not only mellow flavor, and not bad for a long time.

2, eat Lahai garlic

On the eighth of Lunar New Year, the New Year's atmosphere of a day than a day, most areas in northern China on the eighth of Lunar New Year with vinegar soaked garlic custom, called Lahai garlic. Laha garlic is in the lunar calendar on the eighth day of the eighth day to soak garlic, is a custom in northern China. Its ingredients are vinegar and garlic cloves.

Soaking Lahai Garlic is a traditional snack mainly popular in North China, and is a festive food custom of Lahai Festival. The ingredients of Lahai Garlic are actually very simple, which are vinegar and garlic cloves. Put the peeled garlic cloves into an airtight jar or bottle, then pour in the vinegar, seal the mouth and put it in a cold place. Slowly, the garlic soaked in vinegar will turn green, and eventually it will become a turquoise color, like emerald jasper.

Extended information:

According to legend, the old couple of life, hard-working and hard-working, thrifty, save a large industry, but the baby son is not good, marry a daughter-in-law is not virtuous!

Meaning: "Eat a meal of mixed porridge, lessons remembered." This porridge so that the young couple changed their vices, on the right path, rely on hard work to maintain the family, day by day better and better. Popular folk custom of eating congee on the 8th day of the 12th month, is that people in order to warn the future generations of this lesson and follow.