1 / 5   Today marks the Laba Festival in China, and also the beginning of celebrations for the Chinese New Year. Falling on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, the day is commonly celebrated by cooking and eating hodgepodge congee made of various components to pray for a good harvest and good fortune. A scenic spot in east China’s Jiangxi offered visitors a huge pot of congee weighing 10 tons before the festival on Saturday. /VCG Photo

2 / 5   In ancient China, Laba congee was not only cooked for family members, but also sent it to others as a gift. An actor dressed up as the zodiac pig distributed congee to children who were born in the Year of Pig at Xuanzang Temple in east China’s Nanjing City. /VCG Photo

3 / 5   The Laba Festival is also a day of charity as many people line up at Buddhist temples and nunneries across the country, where congee is distributed for free as a symbol of good fortune. Citizens queued to get free Laba congee at Bejing’s Lingguang Temple in the early hours of Sunday morning. /VCG Photo

4 / 5   Part of the reason why people are crazy about the congee is because of its richness in nutrients and delicious flavor. The congee is traditionally made with rice, beans, peanuts, dried fruits and lotus seeds. Staff at Baiyi Nunnery handed out congee in east China’s Anhui Province. /VCG Photo

5 / 5   In the cold weather, sharing with others the warmth of giving and receiving makes the festival a beloved one among many Chinese people. /VCG Photo