过了腊八就是年

After Laba is the Spring Festival

每到年底，中国的节日就特别多，今天就是中国人期待已久的腊八节！这个名字对很多身处国外的朋友们来说可能有些陌生，所以今天我们就一起来聊一聊腊八节！

At the end of the year, there are so many festivals in China. Today is the long-awaited Laba Festival! This name may be unfamiliar to many friends living abroad, so today we will talk about Laba Festival together!

腊八节是源自中国的一个传统节日，因在农历十二月初八也就是腊月初八庆祝而得名。原意是祭祀祖先和神灵，祈求丰收、吉祥和避邪。在中国，有腊八节喝粥的习俗。相传这一天是佛成道日，是释迦牟尼在菩提伽耶大菩提树下成佛并创立佛教的日子，也称“法宝节”，为佛教徒盛大节日之一。道教《八道秘言》亦提及这天为五腊日中的“侯王腊”，需修斋并祭祀先祖。

Laba Festival is a traditional festival originating from China. It gets its name because it is celebrated on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.The meaning is to sacrifice ancestors and gods, pray for a good harvest, auspiciousness and avoid evil. In China, there is a custom of drinking porridge during the Laba Festival.According to legend, this day is the day when the Buddha became a Taoist, the day when Sakyamuni became a Buddha under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and founded Buddhism. The Taoist "Eight Dao Secret Words" also mentions that this day is "Hou Wang La", and it is necessary to Xiu Zhai and worship ancestors.

那么腊八节这天有哪些习俗呢？我们一起来看看吧！

So what are the customs on Laba Festival? Let’s have a see!

• 腊八粥叫“七宝五味粥”
• Laba porridge is called "Qī bǎo wǔ wèi zhōu"

中国喝腊八粥的历史，已有一千多年，最早开始于宋代。每逢腊八这一天，不论是朝廷、官府、寺院还是黎民百姓家都要做腊八粥。腊八粥一般由糯米、芝麻、苡仁、桂圆、红枣、香菇、莲子等食材熬成，非常美味。

The history of eating Laba porridge in China has been more than one thousand years, and it first started in the Song Dynasty. On the day of Laba, no matter it is the imperial court, the government, the monastery or the common people's homes, they all make Laba porridge. Laba porridge is generally made of glutinous rice, sesame seeds, coix seed, longan, red dates, shiitake mushrooms, lotus seeds and other ingredients, and is very delicious.

• 腊八节吃腊八蒜
• Eat Laba Garlic on Laba Festival

泡腊八蒜是北方，尤其是华北地区的一个习俗。顾名思义，就是在农历腊月初八的这天来泡制蒜。据老人讲，腊八蒜的蒜字，和“算”字同音，这是各家商号要在这天拢账，把这一年的收支算出来，可以看出盈亏，其中包括外欠和外债，都要在这天算清楚，“腊八算”就是这么回事。

Soaking Laba garlic is a custom in North China. As the name suggests, garlic is brewed on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. It is said, the word Suan in Laba Suan has the same pronunciation as the word "calculate(算 suan)". This is the day when various merchant want to collect accounts. Calculate the income and expenditure of this year, and you can see the profit and loss, must be calculated clearly on this day, "laba calculation(算）" is such a thing. 

• 腊八节吃冰
• Eating ice on the Laba Festival

腊八前一天，人们一般用钢盆舀水结冰，等到了腊八节就脱盆冰并把冰敲成碎块。据说这天的冰很神奇，吃了它在以后一年不会肚子疼。

The day before Laba, people usually use steel basins to scoop water, wait for the water to turn into ice, and then take off the ice from the basin and break the ice into pieces on the Laba Festival.It is said that the ice on this day is miraculous, and after eating it, you will not have a stomachache for a year.

• 腊八节吃腊八豆腐
• Eat Laba Tofu during Laba Festival

腊八豆腐是安徽黔县民间风味特产，在春节前夕的腊八，即农历十二月初八前后，黔县家家户户都要晒制豆腐，民间将这种自然晒制的豆腐称作“腊八豆腐”。

Laba tofu is a folk specialty in Qianxian County, Anhui Province. On the eve of the Laba Festival, every household in Qianxian county makes tofu. The folks call this naturally sun-dried tofu "Laba tofu".

• 腊八节吃腊八面
• Eat Laba noodles during the Laba Festival

中国北方一些不产或少产大米的地方，人们不吃腊八粥，而是吃腊八面。腊八节当天用各种果、蔬做成臊子，把面条擀好，早上全家吃腊八面。

In some places in northern China where there is no or little rice production, people do not eat Laba porridge, but Laba noodles. On the day of the Laba Festival, various fruits and vegetables are used to make saozi, and the noodles are rolled out. The whole family eats Laba noodles in the Laba morning.

• 腊八节祭祀
• Laba Festival Sacrifice

腊八节这一天，中国各地都会采用不同的方式祭祀先祖，祈求来年的平安与顺利，因此这一天可以看到各家各户都祭祖的现象，不过因为地区差异，祭祀的方式也会有所不同。

On the day of the Laba Festival, various places in China will use different ways to worship ancestors, praying for peace and prosperity in the coming year. Therefore, on this day, you can see the phenomenon that every family worships ancestors, but because of regional differences, the way of worship will also vary different.

好啦，以上就是中国腊八节的介绍，可以看一看在你的国家有没有类似的节日，找一找有什么异同！最后分享一首与腊八节有关的古诗来结束今天的内容吧！

Well, the above is the introduction of the Chinese Laba Festival, you can take a look to see if there are similar festivals in your country, and find out what are the similarities and differences! Finally, share an ancient poem related to the Laba Festival to end today's content!

《腊日》（唐）杜甫

《là rì》（Táng）Dù Fǔ

腊日常年暖尚遥,今年腊日冻全消.

là rì cháng nián nuǎn shàng yáo ,jīn nián là rì dòng quán xiāo .

侵陵雪色还萱草,漏泄春光有柳条.

qīn líng xuě sè hái xuān cǎo ,lòu xiè chūn guāng yǒu liǔ tiáo .

纵酒欲谋良夜醉,还家初散紫宸朝.

zòng jiǔ yù móu liáng yè zuì ,huán jiā chū sàn zǐ chén cháo .

口脂面药随恩泽,翠管银罂下九霄.

kǒu zhī miàn yào suí ēn zé ,cuì guǎn yín yīng xià jiǔ xiāo .