WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE GENERAL?

I have always loved indulging in the occasional chinese take out dish. One of my favorite dishes is the very popular General Tso's chicken. I never thought much about the name because to be totally honest with you I just did not care. While in world history class I remember learning about various dynasties, empires, and military figures in China with one said figure being General Tso. When I heard the good General's name I asked the obvious question: Was that the chicken guy? I was told, to great surprise, that more than likely he never invented or tasted his famous chicken. I was shocked and left with a feeling that I somehow needed to complete a pointless quest to learn the truth behind General Tso and the chicken. I asked the universal question: Which came first, the chicken or the General?

I studied a little more about the good General in order to better understand why he was chosen to be immortalized in every chinese take out menu in America. As it turns out the General was quite a military strategist over a significant span of his 73 year life. The General suppressed the Dungan revolt and served during the Qing Empire's civil war against the Taiping Rebellion which saw 20 million deaths. Early on the good General did not show as much promise and was a somewhat average citizen but his thirst and hunger for knowledge led him to study and understand political economy as well as western sciences. The General would eventually hold highly influential posts and serve as a key figure in the development of other military figures for years to come.

I decided to research the chicken only to learn that it was claimed by multiple places from New York to Taiwan and that it was in actuality named after the General as a way to honor him. I was thoroughly disappointed that the General never actually cooked said chicken and that the whole thing was just to keep his name alive. The truth is it would have been cool if the General would have been like the Chinese Colonel Sanders. Can you imagine a meeting between Colonel Sanders and General Tso? I can imagine that the meeting would not have really gone well given the fact that they did not speak one another's languages and that they did not have the same chicken methodology. Alas I dare to dream the impossible.

Thank you General Tso for your contribution to chicken and your lesser highlighted military achievements.