Jottings from the Granite Studio

The Opposite End of China has a link to the NYT Magazine and a history of General Tso’s Chicken, named for the famous 19th century official and military man, Zuo Zongtang/Tso Tsung-t’ang (1812-1885). The heavily sauced and spiced chicken dish, the invention of Huananese-by way of Taiwan and NYC–chef Peng Chang-kuei, is a staple of Chinese restaurants throughout the USA. Peng claims to have perfected the dish in Taiwan “sometime in the 1950s” and his recipe found a place on the menu of his first NYC restaurant when it opened in 1972. Can General Tso’s Chicken really represent Huanan cuisine? In fact, when Peng returned to Changhsa in 1990 most of the local chefs didn’t care for his dish, despite its reputation, saying it was “too sweet.”

Why name it after General Zuo? The article doesn’t specify, though Zuo Zongtang is certainly one of the most famous Hunanese in Chinese history (and the name at #1 on that list probably wouldn’t have made for a popular dish in Taiwan restaurants during the 1950s.)

The Opposite End of China posts some interesting information about Zuo’s exploits in Xinjiang as part of a long military career that lasted from 1852 until Zuo’s death in 1885. He was an accomplished man whose biography in Hummel’s Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period spans several pages. But Zuo did not follow the career path of fellow 19th century officials like Zeng Guofan or Li Hongzhang. Born into a scholarly family of only modest wealth, Zuo passed the provincial juren exam at the age of twenty but failed all three attempts to pass the Metropolitan jinshi exam in Beijing. After failing in his third attempt in 1838, Zuo gave up on studying for the exams and lived the life of a gentleman farmer, experimenting with different methods of agriculture and sericulture. Zuo even called himself the “Farmer of the River Xiang” (湘上农人). While living in Hunan, he turned down an offer to serve under Lin Zexu (he of Opium War fame) and during the initial stages of the Taiping Rebellion, Zuo seemed to have little interest in the fighting.

In 1852, Zuo finally agreed to join the administration of Zhang Liangji (1807-1871), the governor-general of Huguang (Hubei/Hunan). Zhang subsequently gave Zuo complete control of provincial military affairs against the Taiping threat. Largely self-taught in military matters, Zuo proved to be a brilliant, if often ruthless, tactician and a natural leader of men. After his campaigns against the Taiping, Zuo never looked back and while he may have lacked the erudition and scholarship of Zeng Guofan or the shrewdness and political skill of a Li Hongzhang, Zuo ultimately became the Qing’s “go to guy” in times of unrest and rebellion.

Despite a lifetime of accomplishments, when I mention him in lecture I am usually greeted with blank looks until I make the connection for my students:

Me: “General Zuo. You know…the ‘chicken’ guy.”

Them: “Oooooohhh. The chicken guy. Good sauce. What’d he do again?”

Thank you, Chef Peng.