First, the worship of ancestors, called "臘" in Chinese, and the sacrifice for the gods, called "蠟", both frequently took place in the 12th month, which led to the traditional name of the month: la yue. Second, winter is the slack season for farmers so they have time to find things to burn in the sacrifice. The radical of "臘" represents the sacrifice of meat to one's ancestors ("月" symbolizes meat).

Laba rice porridge: There are several legends about the origin of porridge eating on Laba: Some claim it is of Buddhist origin; some say the porridge, made of red beans, can exorcize evil from children. Others say the porridge is in memory of a poor couple.