Chongfu Temple in Chongchuan district of Nantong, Jiangsu province, marks the traditional Laba Festival on Jan 13 by cooking and distributing Laba porridge to members of the public. The festival falls on the eighth day of the 12th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which is widely regarded as the prelude to Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year. Eating Laba porridge is a traditional ritual that is thought to bring good luck and good health for the following year. [Photo/IC]

A bowl of lotus seeds, raisins and longans are photographed as they await being added to the Laba porridge at Chongfu Temple, Jan 13. The porridge is usually made with eight kinds of ingredients, mainly rice, sticky rice, peanuts and red dates. Some people also like to add sugar, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, red beans and other ingredients which are thought to benefit the body and help protect against cold weather. [Photo/IC]

A volunteer stirs a steaming bowl of porridge, Jan 13. [Photo/IC]

An elderly woman enjoys Laba porridge to mark the traditional festival, Jan 13. [Photo/IC]