Two expats taste Laba congee during an event to mark the Laba Festival in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on Thursday. The Laba Festival, celebrated on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month, fell on Thursday this year. It is traditionally regarded as the prelude to Spring Festival, kicking off the preparations for the festivities. The most important custom during the Laba Festival is eating Laba congee, which is cooked with a mix of eight ingredients.China News Service