香飘十里的腊八粥

腊八粥

腊八粥最早出现于年前的宋朝。当时,佛教在汉族人居住的地方甚是流行，人们认为农历十二月初八是佛教创始人释迦牟尼的成道日。据说，释迦牟尼成佛前，进山修行,由于旅途遥远，饥饿劳累，昏倒在印度一条河旁。被一牧羊女发现，牧羊女用她的午餐大米和豆子熬煮成的粥将其救活，释迎牟尼喝了粥之后恢复体力，才得以继续前行。苦行6年,他大彻大悟,最终在农历十二月初八得道成佛。后来，僧侣们在释迦牟尼成佛那天的前一夜熬煮米粥，第二天举行仪式诵经,将熬好的粥供佛。虔诚的的佛教信徒还将腊八粥进贡给皇上,送给地方官员。虽然腊八粥起源带有宗教色彩，但是日久天长，腊八粥已经成为冬令食品，特别是在中国寒冷的北方。

LegendofLabaPorridge

LabaporridgewasfirstintroducedtoChinaintheSongDynastyaboutyearsago.BuddhismwaswellacceptedintheareasinhabitedbytheHanpeople,whobelievedthatSakyamuni,thefirstBuddhaandfounderofthereligion,attainedenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthmonth.LegendhasitthatwhenSakyamuniwasonhiswayintothehighmountainsinhisquestforunderstandingandenlightenment,hegrewtiredandhungry.Exhaustedfromdaysofwalking,he

passedintounconsciousnessbyariverinIndia.Ashepherdessfoundhimthereandfedhimherlunch-porridgemadewithbeansandrice.Sakyamuniwasthusabletocontinuehisjourney.Aftersixyearsofstrictdiscipline,hefinallyrealizedhisdreamoffullenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthlunarmonth.Eversince,monkshavepreparedriceporridgeontheeveandheldaceremonythefollowingday,duringwhichtheychantsutrasandofferporridgetoBuddha.DevoutBuddhistspresentedgiftsofLabaporridgetotheemperorandlocalofficials.ThetraditionofeatingLabaporridgewasbasedinreligionthough,withthepassingoftimethefooditelfhasbe