中国人把农历的十二月称作"腊月"，因此农历的十二月八日这天被称为"腊八"。按照传统，人们要在这天吃一种特别熬制的粥——"腊八粥"。

         "八"在中国是个吉祥的数字，在熬制腊八粥的时候，人们通常会把八种不同的原料搭配到一起来熬制。最常见的配方就是用大米，小米，糥米等谷类配上红豆、绿豆或者辅以核桃，花生等各类干果，再加上红糖，既美味又健康。当然你也可以根据自己的口味，搭配出独具特色的腊八粥。

        腊月八日喝腊八粥这个习俗可以追溯到一千多年以前，那时候人们用各类粮食做成的粥来敬奉祖先与神灵，以保佑来年五谷丰登。

        也有的人认为，腊八的习俗和佛教在中国的传播有关。因为腊月初八这天正是佛教始祖释迦牟尼得道的日子。据说得道前，释迦牟尼过了六年苦行僧的生活，一度饿得晕倒在路旁，一位牧女送他奶粥，救醒了释迦牟尼。因此，佛教的寺院每到腊八这天都会用香谷、 果实等煮粥供佛，并将腊八粥赠送给穷人们。

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, December is called "layue" in Chinese. Therefore, the 8th of December is called "Laba". "La" means the 12th lunar month and "ba" means eight. On this day, Chinese people usually eat the Laba rice porridge.

The number "8" is a lucky number in China, which is why eight ingredients are used for the Laba rice porridge. The most common ingredients include rice, millet, and other grains, red beans, green beans and even walnuts, peanuts and other dried fruits. Eight main ingredients are cooked with brown sugar to make the porridge tasty. Of course, you can also make the Laba rice porridge according to your own taste by using other creative ingredients. The tradition of eating Laba rice porridge on the 8th can be traced back to some 1,000 years ago. At that time, people made sacrifice to their ancestors and gods with various types of porridge to bless the coming year with a good harvest.

Some people also think that the Laba practice is related to the spread of Buddhism in China, because Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. According to legend, when Sakyamuni was on his quest for understanding and enlightenment, he grew tired and hungry, exhausted from days of walking and he fainted by a river in India. A shepherdess found him and fed him her lunch -- porridge made with beans and rice. Sakyamuni was thus able to continue his journey. After six years of strict discipline, he finally realized his dream of full enlightenment on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Therefore, Buddhist temples use Laba rice porridge with fresh grain and fruits to worship Buddha, and also offer the porridge to the poor people on on that day every year.

• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:]   ad.&conj.因此；所以   (初中英语单词)
• tradition [trə´diʃən]   n.传统；惯例；传说   (初中英语单词)
• discipline [´disiplin]   n.纪律；训练   (初中英语单词)
• worship [´wə:ʃip]   n.&v.崇拜；敬仰   (初中英语单词)
• calendar [´kælində]   n.日历；月历；历法   (高中英语单词)
• related [ri´leitid]   a.叙述的；有联系的   (高中英语单词)
• strict [strikt]   a.严厉的；精确的   (高中英语单词)
• creative [kri:´eitiv]   a.有创造力的；创作的   (英语四级单词)