January 7 (the eighth day of the twelfth month of the Chinese lunar calendar) is the Laba Festival, a traditional Chinese festival. It’s a tradition to drink a bowl of warm Laba congee on this day, feeling the warmth all over the body as well as tasting the festive flavor of the upcoming Chinese New Year. On this day, Beijing's temples will invite visitors to taste Laba congee for free. Monks will chant sutras and pray for Buddha to bless people.

The tradition of “giving out congee” of the Yonghe Lama Temple in Beijing attracted a lot of tourists. In the early morning on that day, people were queuing up at the temple to receive bowls of hot Laba congee.

Tourists are queuing up at Yonghe Lama Temple to receive Laba congee.

Staff scooping up the Laba congee for visitors.

Tourists queuing up to take congee.

Tourists drinking Laba congee.

The Laba congee provided by Yonghe Lama Temple.