中国范儿 | 腊八节：过了腊八就是年

大米、小米、糯米、高粱米、紫米、薏米等谷类，搭配红豆、芸豆等豆类，再加上红枣、花生、莲子、等干果，可以熬制出一碗热气腾腾、香气四溢的腊八粥。

Stewing a mixture of a wide range of grain like rice, millet and sorghum with red beans, kidney beans, red dates, peanuts, lotus seeds and other dried fruits for a while, one can make a bowl of steamy, savory Laba porridge. 

山东临沂的小朋友在辨认制作腊八粥的食材。新华社发（张春雷 摄）

腊八节：过了腊八就是年

Laba porridge sweetens run-up to Chinese New Year

在中国传统的农历之中，十二月初八日被称为腊八节，在这一天，喝上一碗温热的腊八粥，感受到的不仅是一身的暖意，更是春节将至的浓浓节日氛围。

In the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, the eighth day of December, or la yue, is called Laba, also known as the Laba Rice Porridge Festival. It’s a tradition to drink a bowl of warm Laba porridge on this day, feeling the warmth all over the body as well as tasting the festive flavor of the upcoming Chinese New Year. 

郑州炎黄二帝塑像

从炎帝黄帝开始，中国人就在一岁之末、新旧交替之际，用猎获的肉类祭祀祖先神明，这样的祭祀称为“猎祭”。而在古汉语中“猎”可通假为“腊”, 因而最后一个月也被称为腊月。“猎祭”的习俗后来与佛教的“法宝节”相融合，最终在中国的南北朝时期固定在了腊月的初八，形成了中国传统的腊八节。人们在一天祭祀门神、户神、宅神、灶神、井神等，以欢庆丰收和驱疫禳灾。

Starting from the times of emperors of Yan and Huang, Chinese would use the hunted meat as sacrifices to pay tribute to their ancestors and gods at the end of one year, a practice known as “hunting sacrifices”. In ancient Chinese, the word “hunting” can be used in similar ways with another word “La”, thus the last month of a year being called “la yue”. This tradition later was integrated with celebrations of the day Sakyamuni became the Buddha thousands years ago, which was decided to be the eighth day of la yue each year during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The Laba Rice Porridge Festival then came into being. People would offer sacrifices to gods of door, house, kitchen and others to celebrate harve stand drive away plagues and disasters.

中国幅员辽阔、物产丰饶，这也造就了各地腊八时节各具的特色的节令食物。

China has a vast territory and abundant resources, resulting in a variety of unique seasonal foods enjoyed on the festival in different regions.

除了最常见的腊八粥，在安徽地区，人们会吃腊八豆腐；在青海地区，人们则将新碾压好的麦仁与牛羊肉同煮，做成麦仁饭；而在最会吃面的关中地区，腊八面则取代腊八粥成为餐桌上的主食。这些食物虽然有着浓厚的地域特征，但相同的是都选用各地最朴素最常见的食材为原料，这也让天南地北的人们，都能在这一碗当中，品出辛苦一年过后丰收的滋味。

Besides the most common Laba porridge, locals in the east China’s Anhui Province will eat Laba tofu; people in west China’s Qinghai will cook the freshly crushed wheat kernels with beef and mutton to make a special rice dish; in the central Shaanxi area famous for its love for noodles, people eat Laba noodles instead of porridge. While these foods have marked regional features, there is something same: all are made from the most simple and common local ingredients, which also allows people across the country to taste the harvest in a bowl after one year’s hard work.

黄山市西递镇叶村手艺人制作的“腊八豆腐”新华社发（施亚磊 摄）

除了粮食做成的各色食物，不少地方还流行着一些独特的食物。比如华北地区，人们会将新鲜的蒜瓣放入醋中腌制，制成腊八蒜；而在有些地区，人们甚至会在这天吃冰。

In addition to the variety of food made from grain, some unique foods are popular in many places. For example, in north China, people will marinate fresh garlic cloves in vinegar to make Laba garlic, while in some areas, people even eat ice on this day.

各种传统腊味食品洋溢着浓浓的年味

腊月八日是中国北方冬季最冷的“三九”时节，腊八的到来也预示着春节的临近，在中国人的心目中，腊八一到，就进入了喜庆团圆的春节的周期，喝完一碗充满暖意的腊八粥，大街小巷仿佛都开始渐渐有了节日氛围。民间描述春节习俗的童谣就是以“小孩小孩你别馋，过了腊八就是年”一句开篇。可以说腊八就是新春佳节的一幕序曲，腊八过后，人们就开始杀年猪，办年货，腌制腊肉，准备庆祝一个欢乐祥和的中国年。

The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month coincides with the coldest period in winter in north China. The arrival of Laba also indicates that the Spring Festival is just around the corner. For many Chinese, Laba marks the start of the festive phase of the Spring Festival. Finish a bowl of warm Laba porridge and look outside, one might find the streets and alleyways seem to also warm up in festivity. One popular folk children rhyme starts with “kids, kids, hold your mouth water as the Spring Festival will arrive soon after the Laba”. It’s fair to say that Laba is the prelude to the Chinese New Year, as after Laba, people will kill the pigs for the Spring Festival, do new year shopping, marinate the bacon, and prepare for celebrations of a happy and auspicious Chinese New Year.

策划：林凡凡 

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栏目：中国范儿

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