Thousands of people flocked to Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan province, for free laba porridge on Tuesday to celebrate Laba Festival.

"Laba" literally means the eighth day of the 12th month of the Chinese calendar. Laba Festival, considered a prelude to Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, falls on Jan 7 this year. It is customary to eat laba porridge on this day.

Wang Chuanxi, a volunteer at Wenshu Monastery, said that to ensure everyone enjoys steaming hot laba porridge, over a dozen chefs started cooking in the early morning, taking turns to prepare the porridge.