Wednesday, January 8, 2025 The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan province, embraced the spirit of the Laba Festival from January 5 to 7, 2025, by offering 100,000 cups of free, freshly cooked Laba porridge to visitors. This annual tradition celebrates the eighth day of the 12th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, a time of giving thanks and remembering the harvest, while also honoring Buddhist teachings. Laba Festival, which falls on January 7 this year, has deep roots in Chinese culture.
Historically, it was a day to celebrate the harvest, offer sacrifices to ancestors, and pray for prosperity in the coming year. However, with the introduction of Buddhism in China, Laba also came to symbolize the enlightenment of Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Today, the festival continues to honor both its agricultural origins and its Buddhist significance.
At the Wenshu Monastery, which has been serving Laba porridge for over 300 years, the tradition is alive and well. The monastery’s Laba porridge is made from 14 different ingredients, including dried tangerine peel, red dates, coix seed, goji berries, and black rice, which together create a nutritious and flavorful treat. This porridge, traditionally considered a symbol of blessings, is distributed freely to share warmth, blessings, and the spirit of the season.
Wang Chuanxi, a volunteer at the Wenshu Monastery, explained that the monastery set up 324 distribution points throughout Chengdu, distributing an additional 250,000 cups of pre-ma.
