On January 18, Dongyue Temple in Beijing's Chaoyang district observed the traditional Chinese "Laba Festival." Laba, celebrated on the eighth day of the last lunar month, marks the traditional beginning of Chinese New Year festivities. La in Chinese denotes the 12th lunar month, and ba means eight. The Beijing Folk Museum, located nearby the Dongyue Temple, continued its long-standing tradition of providing Laba porridge for the occasion. This heartwarming gesture attracted numerous citizens who enjoyed the steaming porridge, as they welcomed the Chinese New Year. The museum staff revealed that they prepared over 1,000 servings of porridge for the event. (Photos: Chen Tao/GT)