Community volunteers pack Laba porridge at Lingyin Buddhist temple in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province January 19, 2010, in run-up to the traditional Laba Festival that befalls on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month. The food will be handed out to locals and charity institutions for free. It's customary on this day to eat Laba porridge. Recipes of the traditional congee varies, though generally includes glutinous rice, dried lotus seeds, longan, gingko, dried red dates, chestnuts, peanuts, walnuts, raisins and melon seeds. The Laba Festival is on Friday this year. [Photo: Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2010)