腊八节的来历和习俗 今天吃腊八粥了么？

Introduction　　腊八节简介　　TheLabaFestivalisatraditionalChineseholidayobservedontheeighthdayofthetwelfthlunarmonth.InChina,itiscustomaryonthisdaytoeatLabaCongee.Thedateusuallyfallsinmid-January.LainChinesemeansthe12thlunarmonthandbameanseight.　　农历十二月初八是中国的传统节日腊八节，这一天的习俗是吃腊八粥，通常是在阳历1月中旬。“腊”在中国表示农历的第十二个月，“八”表示初八。　　History　　历史　　BeforetheQinDynastyLabafestivalwasacelebrationofthenewharvest.TheChinesecharactersforprey(猎)andthetwelfthmonth(腊La)wereinterchangeablethen,andeversinceLahasbeenusedtorefertoboth.　　在秦朝以前，腊八节是为了庆祝丰收。中国汉字里的“猎”和“腊”在那个时候是通用的，也就是从那里起“腊”有了双层意思。　　Legend　　传说　　Theeight-treasureporridgewasfirstintroducedtoChinaintheSongDynastyabout1000yearsago.BuddhismwaswellacceptedintheareasinhabitedbytheHanChinese,whobelievedthatSakyamuni,thefirstBuddhaandfounderofthereligion,attainedenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthmonth.Sutraswerechantedinthetemplesandriceporridgewithbeans,nutsanddriedfruitwaspreparedfortheBuddha.Withthepassingoftimethecustomextended,especiallyinruralareaswherepeasantswouldprayforaplentifulharvestinthisway.　　腊八粥最早是在1000多年前的宋代被引入中国。佛教当时广泛被中国的汉族接受，他们相信佛教的释迦牟尼，于腊月初八这一天悟道成佛。寺庙里吟颂佛经，准备含有豆类、坚果和干果的粥来纪念佛祖。随着时间的推移，这个风俗慢慢的流传，特别是在农村地区，农民们以这样的方式祈求来年的丰收。　　Thereis,however,anothertouchingstory:WhenSakyamuniwasonhiswayintothehighmountainsinhisquestforunderstandingandenlightenment,hegrewtiredandhungry.Exhaustedfromdaysofwalking,hepassedintounconsciousnessbyariverinIndia.Ashepherdessfoundhimthereandfedhimherlunch--porridgemadewithbeansandrice.Sakyamuniwasthusabletocontinuehisjourney.Aftersixyearsofstrictdiscipline,hefinallyrealizedhisdreamoffullenlightenmentontheeighthdayofthetwelfthlunarmonth.　　不过，还有一个感人的故事是这样的：释迦牟尼在前往高山修道的途中，又累又饿。数日的旅途奔波使他精疲力竭，昏迷在印度一条河边，一个牧羊女发现了他并喂他吃饭——豆类和大米混合的粥。释迦牟尼因而才能继续他的旅程。后经六年苦行，终于在腊月初八这一天悟道成佛。　　Eversince,monkshavepreparedriceporridgeontheeveandheldaceremonythefollowingday,duringwhichtheychantsutrasandofferporridgetoBuddha.Thus,thetraditionofeatingLabaporridgewasbasedinreligion,thoughwiththepassingoftimethefooditselfbecameapopularwinterdishespeciallyincoldnorthernChina.　　自那时起，僧侣们便在腊八的前夜准备米粥，并在腊八当天举行颂经和敬奉佛祖仪式。因此，尽管随着时间的推移，腊八粥成了流行的冬季食物，尤其是在中国寒冷的北方，但这个传统却是来自佛教。　　Customs　　习俗　　Traditionally,theconsumptionofLabaCongee(Chinese腊八粥)wasanimportantelementofthefestival.Actuallyeightingredientsareused,cookedwithsugartomaketheporridgetasty.InNortheastChina,NorthwestChinaandJiangnan,thiscustomhasbeenpreserved,butithasbecomerarerinSouthChina.　　传统上，腊八粥是腊八节重要的一部分。一般来说要用到八种原料，并加上糖使粥更美味。在中国东北，西北和江南，这个习俗被传承了下来，但在中国南方却已变得罕见。　　Northernersprefertouseglutinousrice,redbeans,dates,lotusseeds,driedlong’anpulp,walnuts,pinenutsandotherdriedfruitsintheirporridge;southernerslikeasaltyporridgepreparedwithrice,soybeans,peanuts,broadbeans,taro,waterchestnuts,walnuts,vegetablesanddicedmeat.Inthenorth,itisadessertwithsugaradded;inthesouth,saltisputin.Somepeopleliketoaddcinnamonandothercondimentstoaddflavor.　　北方人喜欢用糯米，红豆，红枣，莲子，干桂圆肉，核桃仁，松子和一些其它的干果煮粥；而南方人更喜欢用大米，大豆，花生，蚕豆，芋头，荸荠，核桃仁，蔬菜和肉丁煮咸粥。在北方，它是加了糖的甜点，在南方，人们喜欢加盐。还有些人喜欢放桂皮等其他调味品，以增加风味。　　　　ControllingtheheatisofgreatimportanceinmakingLabaporridge.Atthestart,theflamemustbehigh,butthefireisthenturneddowntolettheporridgesimmeruntilitbeginstoemitaverydelicioussmell.Theprocessistime-consumingbutnotcomplicated.　　煮腊八粥时控制好火候是关键。刚开始时要大火，火焰要高，但随后就要用微火慢炖，直到它开始散发出鲜美的味道。这个过程费时，但并不复杂。　　Labaporridgeisnotonlyeasytoprepare,butalsoanutritiouswinterfoodbecauseitcontainsaminoacids,protein,vitaminsandothernutritionpeopleneed.Cookednutsanddriedfruitaregoodforsoothingnerves,nourishingone’sheartandvitality,andstrengtheningthespleen.Perhapsthatiswhyitisalsocalledbabao(EightTreasure)porridge.　　腊八粥不仅制作起来很容易，而且也是营养丰富的冬季食品，因为它含有的氨基酸，蛋白质，维生素和其它人体所需的营养，熟坚果和干果有利于舒缓神经，滋心脏、补元气、健脾胃。也许这就是为什么它也被称为八宝粥。　　　　AnotherLabafoodisLabagarlic,whichisparticularlypopularinnorthernChina.GarlicissoakedinvinegarfortwentydaysstartingfromLabafestival.ThegarlicandvinegaristhenusedalongsideChinesedumplings(orjiaozi)aroundChinesenewyear.　　另一个腊八节的食物是腊八蒜，尤其在中国北方很流行。大蒜被浸泡在醋里20天之后，在春节前后被用来伴着饺子吃。