On the eighth day of the 12th month on the Chinese calendar, which falls on Monday this year, the aroma of laba porridge will drift across Beijing and the rest of the country, signaling the arrival of the Chinese New Year season. 農歷十二月八日，今年恰逢週一，臘八粥的香氣將飄蕩在北京及全國各地，宣告春節時節的到來。 The character "la" refers to the 12th month on the Chinese calendar, while "ba" means the number eight. For most people, savoring labaporridge— which is typically made of at least eight ingredients including glutinous rice and red beans — is more than a traditional ritual, because it marks the moment when the year-end countdown starts and serves as the prelude to new beginnings. “臘”字指農歷十二月，”八”則代表數字八。對多數人而言，品嘗臘八粥——這種通常由糯米、紅豆等至少八種食材熬制的粥品——不僅是傳統習俗，更標志著歲末倒計時的開始，為新年的啟程奏響序曲。 Despite the cold spell in the Chinese capital, warmth will fill the halls of its historical temples on Monday. Yo...