Communities across China are embracing traditional customs through diverse cultural activities in anticipation of Laba Festival, observed this year on January 26th. The festival, which marks the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, has sparked nationwide engagement through culinary workshops, educational events, and charitable distributions.
In Jiangsu province’s Kunshan city, kindergarten classrooms transformed into cultural laboratories as educators demonstrated the art of preparing Laba porridge—the festival’s signature dish. Young learners participated in interactive sessions identifying traditional ingredients like grains, nuts, and dried fruits that compose the nutritious concoction.
Beyond educational institutions, community centers and temples organized large-scale porridge preparation events, blending culinary tradition with social harmony. Volunteers distributed steaming bowls of the symbolic dish to elderly residents and essential workers, continuing the festival’s ancient tradition of sharing abundance during winter’s coldest period.
Cultural historians note that these celebrations represent a vibrant revival of intangible cultural heritage, particularly among younger generations. The festival’s timing—one week before the Chinese New Year—serves as both culinary and spiritual preparation for the year’s most important holiday period, embodying themes of gratitude, community solidarity, and cultural continuity.