Who Was General Tso?

As my blood glucose rises to unsafe levels after a satisfying meal at China Wok in Hillsboro, I sit back and wonder — Who is General Tso? Why does he want my heart to explode? It’s time to look things up and see what I can find.

Zuo Zongtang (also spelled Tso Tsun-t’ang) was a Chinese administrator and military leader who helped keep the Qing dynasty from collapsing under rebellion. Zuo, born on November 10, 1812, secured a position in the civil service due to his family’s connections and his high performance on the civil service examination.

In 1850, a rebellion began to spread through more than a dozen Chinese provinces. Zuo first organized defense forces in his province. His leadership quickly propelled him to become one of the top commanders in the imperial service. His power continued to grow after putting down the Taiping Rebellion when he was appointed the governor-general of Zhejiang and Fujian.

Zuo gained more military success when he was placed in charge of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces to suppress Muslim rebels. After ending the threat there, he financed a campaign to reconquer Chinese Central Asia and reestablish the Qing dynasty to a strong position in Asia. He died in 1885 after one last military campaign against French forces.

Why is he trying to kill me with his chicken?

Well, as it turns out, Zuo Zongtang had nothing to do with the dish. It was created in 1955 by Chinese chef Peng Chang-kuei to serve to Adm. Arthur W. Radford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his visit to Taiwan. Peng fled China in 1949 to escape the Communist revolution. He named the dish in honor of Zuo Zongtang, the great Chinese general who put down another large rebellion.

The dish changed over time, as things often do. It was originally a savory dish, but Chinese chefs in New York City began to adapt it to American tastes. It became sweet and spicy. And it will be the death of me.