People lining up in front of the Jade Buddah Temple last year for free Laba congee.

Some Buddhist temples have canceled their traditional congee-distribution events for this year’sLabaFestival in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Jade Buddha andLonghuatemples have canceled events which normally attract tens of thousands of people who deemLaba congeea symbol of blessingsfrom the Buddha.

“It is part of a more stringent pandemic prevention effort that aims to reduce the gatherings and movement of people,” the temples said on their WeChataccounts.

This year’sLabaFestival is on January 20.Labarefers to the eighth day of the 12th month on the lunar calendar. The festival has been celebrated for around 1,500 years.

The festival is an important event in Buddhism, marking the enlightenment day of the Buddha. Temples offer porridge to the public to commemorate the Buddha and deliver his blessings.

According to traditional Chinese customs, eatingLabacongeebrings abundance and a good harvest.

AsLabafalls in the last lunar month, it serves as a prelude to the Lunar New Year, which will start on February 12 this year.

Recipes forcongeevary, but the traditional dish usually contains grain, dried lotus seeds,longan,ginkgo, dried red dates and other ingredients.

Despite the cancellation, the Jade Buddha Temple will distribute 4,000 bowels ofLabacongeeto nursing home residents inPutuo,Jing’an and Changning districts.

Monks and volunteers will also sendcongeeto local hospitals and communities.

Theingredients of traditionalLaba congee