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Residents enjoy "Laba Porridge" on Laba Festival in Beijing
(newsphoto)
Updated: 2006-01-07 13:47
Chinese residents queue up to receive "Laba
Porridge" in Lama Temple in Beijing Saturday, January 7, 2006. Laba, which
means the eighth day of the 12th lunar month in Chinese Calendar, falls on
Saturday this year. The tradition began long ago with the tale of the
Sakyamuni. He was fed with porridge by a shepherdess after he fainted at
the roadside after days of travel in India without food and water. He
recovered quickly and attained buddhahood underneath a bodhi tree.
Therefore, the day was first commemorated in temples and porridge doled
out to thank the mortal who saved his life. Later the folks also have
porridge on the day to wish for good luck. The Lama Temple in Beijing
said it began to cook porridge at 3am on Saturday and prepared 20 pots of
Laba Porridge. [newsphoto] |
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