BEIJING, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- People in Shizhong District, Zaozhuang City in east China's Shandong Province are ready to make Laba congee, a kind of sticky porridge, to celebrate the Laba Festival that falls on January 18 this year.

The Laba Festival, observed on the eighth day of the 12th month of the lunar Chinese calendar, carries the auspicious meaning of wishing for harvest, abundance and happiness. It is traditionally regarded as the prelude to the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, which is the most important festival for people of Chinese origin.

For people in Shizhong District, cooking Laba congee is a must on the morning of Laba Festival. Containing of at least eight ingredients including rice, red beans, dates, peanuts, lotus seeds and chestnuts, the delicacy is not only tasty, but also nutritious. 

The cooked Laba congee is usually presented to gods, and then part of it will be sent to neighbors.