Labaiscelebratedontheeighthdayofthelastlunarmonth,referringtothetraditionalstartofcelebrationsfortheChineseNewYear."La"inChinesemeansthe12thlunarmonthand"ba"meanseight.
Legendsabouttheoriginofthisfestivityabound.Oneholdsthatover3,000yearsagosacrificialritescalled"La"(腊)wereheldinthetwelfthlunarmonthwhenpeopleofferedtheirpreystothegodsofheavenandearth.TheChinesecharactersforprey(猎物)andthetwelfthmonth(腊)wereinterchangeablethen,andeversince"La"hasbeenusedtorefertoboth.
SincethefestivalwasheldontheeighthdayoftheLastmonth,peoplelaterappendedthenumbereight("ba"inChinese),givingusthecurrentLaba.
ThemajorityHanChinesehavelongfollowedthetraditionofeatingLabariceporridgeontheLabaFestival.Thedateusuallyfallsinmid-January.