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]