Laba Festival warms up citizens for Chinese New Year

Children learn to identify different kinds of ingredients prepared to make Laba porridge at Intelligent Star Kindergarden, in the Dongchangfu district of Liaocheng, Shandong province on Jan 17, 2024. [Photo by Zhang Zhenxiang/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar year is the traditional Chinese festival, the Laba Festival, which falls on Jan 18 this year. The custom for this day is to enjoy a steaming bowl of Laba porridge.

In northern parts of China, there is saying: "Right after Laba, the new year is coming." Laba is considered as the commencement of the Chinese New Year.

People in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, line up at Hanshan Temple for the Laba porridge, on the morning of Jan 18, 2024. [Photo by Wang Jianzhong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Citizens and tourists in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, line up at Hefang Street for the Laba porridge on Jan 18, 2024. [Photo by Long Wei/For chinadaily.com.cn]

People buy ingredients to make Laba porridge in the Shizhong district of Zaozhuang, Shandong province on Jan 17, 2024. [Photo by Wang Hainan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Children practice writing Chinese characters "la", "ba" and "jie" at the No 2 Kindergarden in Xinle, a county-level city in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province on Jan 17, 2024. [Photo by Jia Minjie/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A teacher instructs children how to make Laba garlic at the No 11 Experimental Kindergarden, in the Bincheng district of Binzhou, Shandong province on Jan 17, 2024. [Photo by Chu Baorui/For chinadaily.com.cn]