◆By Gui Liang

　　The word La is the name of a sacrifice going backsintosearly Chinese history .The sacrifice took place each year shortly after the winter solstice and was made by the ruler to his ancestors and to the five tutelary spirits of the house: those of the door, main gate, kitchen stove, center of house or impluvium, and well or, according to some, alley. It was a sacrifice of thanksgiving for bounteous harvests. Because of this ceremony, the entire twelfth month has come to be known as the La month, so that La pa gruel really means gruel of the eighth day of the twelfth month. The term also has been taken over by Buddhism as the name for an offering made to Buddha on this day.

　　For La pa gruel one uses glutinous millet, white rice, glutinous rice, canary seed, water-chestnuts, chestnuts, small red beans, and dates from which the skin has been removed, boiled with water. On the exterior, so as to give spots of color, are used peach seeds for their red color, almonds, melon seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pine seeds, as well as white and red sugar and raisins. It is imperative not to use lotus seeds, flat beans, seeds of a kind of small water- lily, or Guiyuan (dried nepbelium longana, a southern fruit similar to, but smaller than the lichee), which if utilized will spoil the taste.

　　Every year on the seventh day of the twelfth month, fruits are peeled and utensils washed, and this work is continued the whole night until at break of day the gruel is cooked. Besides offering it in sacrifice to one's ancestors and to Buddha, one makes presents of it to one's relatives and friends, but this should not be done after midday. At the same time one makes figures of lions out of red dates, peach seeds, etc. to be put on top of the gruel, whereby children may give expression to their ingenuity.

　　According to historic records, the Emperor on the eighth day of the twelfth month would present gruel to the various officials, while the common people also made La pa gruel out of various grains and fruits, that with the most varieties being the best.

　　Though today there is no such presentation to the various officials, rich families still make presents of it, competing with each other in clever attempts at originality. Comparing them with the people of former tines, there is some to-day who surpass them, but none who do not equal them.