Chapter 4 Laba porridge

As long as I can remember, I remember that every year on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, my mother cooked Laba porridge for us. This Laba porridge is made by mixing glutinous rice, brown sugar and eighteen kinds of dried fruits. The large dried fruits include red dates, longan, walnuts, ginkgo, almonds, chestnuts, peanuts, raisins, etc., and the small ones include various beans and sesame seeds, which taste very sweet and delicious.My mother cooks a big pot every year, and not only the whole family eats it, but also distributes some to neighbors, relatives and friends. The mother said: This Laba porridge was originally cooked in a Buddhist temple to worship the Buddha—the eighteen kinds of dried fruits symbolize the eighteen arhats. Eating is also a good way to save money.Finally, she sighed and said: "My mother passed away on Laba day, when I was only fourteen years old. After crying on her body, I hurried to the kitchen to make breakfast for my father and brother. There is a small pot of Laba porridge she cooked yesterday, and now I still cook this Laba porridge every year, not to worship Buddha, but to commemorate my mother."

My mother passed away on January 7, 1930, which happened to be Laba in the lunar calendar!At that time, I already had my own home. In memory of my mother, I also cook Laba porridge every year on this day.Although I can't make up eighteen kinds of dried fruits, children still love them.After the Anti-Japanese War, we migrated from north to south, and sometimes stayed abroad. Especially in the last ten years, we hardly even had a "home", so we forgot the day of "Laba". On the morning of "Laba" this year, I happened to see several children of my third generation sitting around the table, washing red dates and peeling peanuts. Cook Laba porridge and eat it! Mom said this Laba porridge is delicious. You used to cook it every year." I laughed, thinking that these children are really greedy.I said, "That's what happened to your mothers when they were young. During the Anti-Japanese War, it was rare to eat a little sweet food. Eating Laba porridge became a grand ceremony. Why are you still making trouble now?"

They looked at each other, bowed their heads, and a child said softly: "Mom and aunt said, your mother cooks Laba porridge every year in memory of her mother, and you cook Laba porridge every year to commemorate your mother. Now we have to cook Laba porridge every year to commemorate our beloved Premier Zhou, Grandpa Zhou ! These red dates, peanuts, chestnuts, and all kinds of beans we can get together do not represent the Eighteen Arhats, but a symbol of our generation of Chinese teenagers who are ready to go to all fronts. Everyone is united tightly, harmoniously, and sweetly. Together..." He took out a small piece of neatly folded calendar paper from his pocket, on the bottom of January 8, 1976, it was printed "December 8th, Yimao Year of the Lunar Calendar" He put this piece of paper in front of my eyes and said: "Look, this is what my mother kept.The anniversary of Grandpa Zhou's death is Laba! "

I didn't say anything, just lowered my head in awe, and peeled peanuts with them.Early morning of February 3, 1979