腊月初八,我国人民有吃腊八粥习俗.据说腊八粥传自印度,和佛教始祖释迦牟尼有关.释迦牟尼本是古印度北部迦毗罗卫国（今尼泊尔境内）净饭王的儿子,他见众生受生老病死等痛苦折磨,又不满当时婆罗门的神权统治,舍弃王位,出家修道.初无收获,后经六年苦行,于腊月八日在菩提树下悟道成佛.在这六年苦行中,每日仅食一麻一米.后人不忘他所受的苦难,于每年腊月初八吃粥以做纪念.“腊八”就成了“佛祖成道纪念日”.腊八粥在古时是用红小豆、糯米煮成,现在在中国各地腊八粥的花样,争奇竞巧,品种繁多. 　　Labaiscelebratedontheeighthdayofthelastlunarmonth,referringtothetraditionalstartofcelebrationsfortheChineseNewYear."La"inChinesemeansthe12thlunarmonthand"ba"meanseight. 　　Legendsabouttheoriginofthisfestivityabound.Oneholdsthatover3,000yearsagosacrificialritescalled"La"(腊)wereheldinthetwelfthlunarmonthwhenpeopleofferedtheirpreystothegodsofheavenandearth.TheChinesecharactersforprey(猎物)andthetwelfthmonth(腊)wereinterchangeablethen,andeversince"La"hasbeenusedtorefertoboth. 　　SincethefestivalwasheldontheeighthdayoftheLastmonth,peoplelaterappendedthenumbereight("ba"inChinese),givingusthecurrentLaba. 　　ThemajorityHanChinesehavelongfollowedthetraditionofeatingLabariceporridgeontheLabaFestival.Thedateusuallyfallsinmid-January. 　　Legend 　　Labariceporridge（粥）wasfirstintroducedtoChinaintheSongDynastyabout900yearsago. 　　BuddhismwaswellacceptedintheareasinhabitedbytheHanChinese,whobelievedthatSakyamuni（释迦牟尼）,thefirstBuddhaandfounderofthereligion,attainedenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthmonth.Sutras（佛经）werechantedinthetemplesandriceporridgewithbeans,nutsanddriedfruitwaspreparedfortheBuddha.Withthepassingoftimethecustomextended,especiallyinruralareaswherepeasantswouldprayforaplentifulharvestinthisway. 　　Thereis,however,anothertouchingstory:WhenSakyamuniwasonhiswayintothehighmountainsinhisquest（寻求）forunderstandingandenlightenment,hegrewtiredandhungry.Exhaustedfromdaysofwalking,hefaintedawaybyariverinIndia.Ashepherdessfoundhimthereandfedhimherlunch--porridgemadewithbeansandrice.Sakyamuniwasthusabletocontinuehisjourney. 　　Aftersixyearsofstrictdiscipline,hefinallyrealizedhisdreamoffullenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthlunarmonth.Eversince,monkshavepreparedriceporridgeontheeveandheldaceremonythefollowingday,duringwhichtheychantsutrasandofferporridgetoBuddha.Thus,thetraditionofeatingLabaporridgewasbasedinreligion,thoughwiththepassingoftimethefooditselfbecameapopularwinterdishespeciallyincoldnorthernChina. 　　Accordingtowrittenrecords,largeBuddhisttempleswouldofferLabariceporridgetothepoortoshowtheirfaithtoBuddha.IntheMingDynastyabout500yearsago,itbecamesuchaholyfoodthatemperorswouldofferittotheirofficialsduringfestivals.Asitgainedfavorinthefeudal（封建的）upperclass,italsoquicklybecamepopularthroughoutthecountry. 　　LabaRicePorridge 　　Labariceporridgecontainsglutinousrice（糯米）,redbeans,millet,Chinesesorghum,peas,driedlotusseeds,redbeansandsomeotheringredients,suchasdrieddates,chestnutmeat,walnutmeat,almond,peanut,etc.Actuallyeightingredients（配料、成分）areused,cookedwithsugartomaketheporridgetasty. 　　Northernersprefertouseglutinousrice,redbeans,dates,lotusseeds,driedpulp（果肉）,walnuts（胡桃）,pinenutsandotherdriedfruitsintheirporridge;southernersli