Laba Festival

Laba Festival
A bowl of Laba congee.
Official name	Làbā Jié (臘八節, 腊八节)
Observed by	Chinese
Significance	Celebration of the end of the year, celebration of the enlightenment of the Buddha
Observances	Consumption of Laba congee, etc.
Date	8th day of the 12th lunar month
2023 date	18 January
2024 date	18 January
2025 date	7 January
Related to	Bodhi Day Rohatsu (in Japan) Other related festivals Vesak (in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos)

Laba Festival (Chinese: 臘八節) is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the eighth day of the month of La (or Layue 臘月), the twelfth month of the Chinese calendar. It is the beginning of the Chinese New Year period. It is customary on this day to eat Laba congee.

Laba Festival was not on a fixed day until the Southern and Northern dynasties, when it was influenced by Buddhism and was fixed on the eighth day of twelfth month, which was also the enlightenment day of the Buddha. Therefore, many customs of the Laba Festival are related to Buddhism. It corresponds directly to the Japanese Rohatsu and the South Asian Bodhi Day.