China's traditional Laba Festival is celebrated on the eighth day of the 12th month of the lunar Chinese calendar, falls on January 18 this year. It (regard) as the prelude(序幕) to Chinese New Year.
There are different versions about the (origin) of the Laba congee, but one of the (popular) is about Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty.
Before Zhu became emperor, he was suffering in a prison on a wintery day. When he was starving, he found some red beans, rice, dates and other grains near a rat hole (unexpected), so he boiled these together to make porridge. That day was the eighth day of the 12th lunar month. Later, when Zhu Yuanzhang was emperor, he decided to commemorate that special day in prison designating it as Laba Festival, and officially(name) the porridge he ate Laba congee.
Since then, (enjoy) a bowl of Laba congee with families and friends has been a time-honored tradition in China, it also sweetens a winter day. Made of a (various) of ingredients, including various beans, rice, lotus seeds, peanuts, etc., it is believed to be good for people's health.
