According to the Draft of Qing History, Ding Baozhen, born in Pingyuan, Guizhou Province, was a scholar in Xianfeng for three years, and served as the governor of Sichuan in Guangxu for two years. It is said that Ding Baozhen has a good knowledge of cooking, and likes to eat chicken and peanuts, especially spicy food. When he was governor of Sichuan, he created a delicious dish which was made of diced chicken, red pepper and peanuts. This delicious dish was originally just Ding Jia's "private kitchen", but later it spread more and more widely and was well known. But not many people know why it was named "Gong Bao".
The so-called "Gong Bao" is actually the honorary title of Ding Baozhen. According to the explanation in China Dictionary of Official in Past Dynasties, officials at all levels in Ming and Qing Dynasties had "virtual titles". The highest virtual titles are "Tai Fu, Shao Shi, Tai Fu, Shao Fu, Taibao, Shao Bao, Prince Tai Fu, Prince Shao Shi, Prince Tai Fu, Prince Shao Fu, Prince Tai Bao and Prince Shao Bao". The above titles are all empty titles addressed to important officials in the DPRK, and they have no actual power. Some of them are posthumously presented, and they are generally called "palace titles".
After Xianfeng, these virtual titles no longer used "so-and-so teacher" but "so-and-so guarantee", so these top virtual titles have another nickname-"Gong Bao". Ding Baozhen ruled Shu for ten years, and made many achievements as an official. He died in the 11th year of Guangxu. In recognition of his achievements, the Qing court posthumously presented the "Prince Taibao". As mentioned above, "Tai Zi Tai Bao" is one of the "Gong Bao", so the dish he invented was named "kung pao chicken", which is also a commemoration of this Ding adult.
Times have changed. Many people don't know what "Gong Bao" is, so they take it for granted that "kung pao chicken" is written as "Kung Pao Chicken". Although it is a word difference, it has changed the original intention of commemorating Ding Baozhen.
The origin of kung pao chicken
About the origin of kung pao chicken, it is generally believed that it is related to Ding Baozhen, and there are several legends:
One said: About the origin of kung pao chicken, it is generally believed that it was created by Ding Baozhen, governor of Sichuan in the Qing Dynasty, and Ding Baozhen was from Niuchang Town, zhijin county, Guizhou Province. He accidentally fell into the water when he was a child, and was rescued by a family by the bridge. Later, when he was an official, he remembered the incident and went to thank him. The family served this dish. After eating it, he thought it was delicious and promoted it. This is the true origin of this dish (Zhijin County Records has relevant records).
Second, Zuo Zongtang likes to eat the chicken cooked for him by the chef, and the way to do it is to cut the chicken into cubes and fry it with peanuts, diced bamboo shoots, fungus and other ingredients. In Qing Dynasty, the governor had the titles of Gong Bao and Shao Bao, and because Zuo Zongtang was a former governor, he was called Zuo Gong Bao, so people called this dish kung pao chicken.
Three: People who are familiar with the history of the late Qing Dynasty should be familiar with Ding Baozhen (who was named "Prince Shaobao" and honored as Ding Gongbao before his death). His courage and boldness in defeating An Dehai, a favorite of Cixi, have always been told by later generations. In other words, when Ding Baozhen was transferred from Shandong to the governor of Sichuan, there was a flood in Dujiangyan. When the new official took office, he went to inspect. Because of the delay in lunch, I had to eat in a small restaurant on the street. Unfortunately, many dishes were sold out and there was nothing to fry. People are hungry, so they can't wait to go to other restaurants, so they use chicken and other raw materials to fry them quickly. Ding Baozhen was very satisfied with the delicious taste, and "kung pao chicken" became famous.
After the name "kung pao chicken" was named, people copied it one after another. When the restaurant adopted the operation, everyone loved it. Legend has it that there were many vendors selling fried peanuts and beans in restaurants and restaurants at that time. In the past, peanuts were not put in kung pao chicken. Some diners occasionally asked vendors to pour fried peanuts into the "kung pao chicken" plate. After mixing, they found that they tasted better, so they later added peanuts for cooking. Today's "kung pao chicken" has more mature cooking skills.
Four Say: Another way of saying "kung pao chicken" can't help but talk about "Zuo Zongtang". It turns out that "Zuo Zongtang" especially likes to eat chicken. In the northwest military camp, his life is simple, and his meals are mostly Hunan hometown dishes. He likes to eat chicken and spicy chicken when he meets "having a rare tooth". The army chef modified it according to the ingredients and cooking method of a palace dish. If he bought a chicken, he cut the chicken breast into cubes, and fried it with red pepper, cucumber, fried peeled peanuts and so on. This dish is tender and crisp, full of color, flavor and hometown flavor, and it is also convenient to carry when marching in wartime. Because Zuo Gongbao loves to eat, and it is used to entertain guests. However, Zuo Zongtang once served as the Governor of Shaanxi but Gansu, and people at that time called him Gong Bao. Therefore, Zuo Zongtang's favorite diced chicken was called kung pao chicken. Abroad, people translate "kung pao chicken" into "Zuo Zongtang Chicken".
It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, Ding Baozhen, a former governor of Sichuan, was named "Prince Shaobao" before his death, and was called Ding Gongbao. After Ding Gongbao arrived, at a banquet, the waiter served diced chicken with green pepper and crispy peanuts. Gong Gongbao praised it and asked what the dish was called. The host had a brainwave and replied, "This dish is nameless. Since adults like it, it is called kung pao chicken." The name of the dish comes here again. The characteristics of this dish are: pale white and green. Golden and mixed; Fresh and tender, slightly spicy and crispy. Pork can also be used as raw material, so it is called Kung Pao diced meat. The flood in Dujiangyan, Ding Baozhen's governance was no less than that of Li Bing and his son, and the "kung pao chicken" became famous because people wanted to remember Ding Baozhen's immortal feats.
Six said: Ding Baozhen was originally from Guizhou, and was a scholar in Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty. He was once the governor of Shandong and then the governor of Sichuan. He always likes to eat Chili, pork and chicken stir-fried dishes. It is said that when he was working in Shandong, he ordered his chef to make "Fried Chicken with Sauce" and other dishes, which was very appetizing, but at that time, this dish had not been said. Whether it was true or false, it showed that it had nothing to do with Shandong cuisine. After all, it was improved from chili pepper diced chicken by Guizhou chefs, and the chicken parts used in Shandong diced chicken with soy sauce are different. After being transferred to the governor of Sichuan, he asked the chef to stir-fry diced chicken with peanuts, dried peppers and tender chicken every time he met a banquet guest. The meat was tender and delicious, and it was very popular with the guests. Later, he was named "Prince Shaobao" by the imperial court because of his meritorious service in guarding the border and defending the enemy, and was called "Ding Gongbao". The fried diced chicken cooked by his chef was also called "kung pao chicken".
According to legend, when Ding Baozhen was in Guizhou, he loved to eat stir-fried diced chicken with chaff peppers and peanuts. During his transfer to the Governor of Shandong Province, his chef, under the guidance of Ding, made diced chicken with green peppers and diced chicken with chili pepper by Shandong stir-frying method, which was also stir-frying. It was pitiful for Shandong people to compile such stories to deceive themselves. After being transferred to Sichuan as the governor, the fried diced chicken cooked by Dingfu was more exquisite, and it was often used to entertain guests, so it was called "kung pao chicken".
Seven said: Kung Pao Chicken, also known as kung pao chicken, is made of chicken breast and peanuts from a white and tender cock, and the production method belongs to the strong stir-frying. This dish has a long history, but there is a very special place: it belongs to the cuisine, and there are different opinions. Shandong people say it is Shandong cuisine, Sichuan people say it is Sichuan cuisine, Beijing people say it is palace cuisine, and Guizhou people say it is a local dish in Guizhou.
Eight said: China's eight famous cuisines basically include all kinds of famous dishes, and most of each dish naturally belongs to a certain cuisine. How did this "Kung Pao Chicken" become an "eight-way street"? This must start with Ding Baozhen, the "pioneer" of this dish.
Ding Baozhen, originally from Pingyuan, Guizhou, was a scholar of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty for three years, and served as the governor of Shandong and the governor of Sichuan. Ding Baozhen is very particular about cooking. During his official career in Shandong, he called dozens of chefs. Whenever there is a family dinner, homemade fried chicken with tender and delicious peanuts will be served to entertain the guests, which is very popular and appreciated by the guests. Whether this statement is true or not, it shows that it has nothing to do with Shandong cuisine; After all, Shandong chefs learned it from Ding Baozhen, while Ding Baozhen himself made it with the method of making diced chicken with green peppers in Guizhou. Soon, this dish entered the Qing palace and became a delicacy in the palace cuisine. It is said that the dignitaries in the Qing dynasty did not eat spicy food at that time, so the truth of this statement is open to question. The governor-general of the Qing Dynasty was the highest local official, and he was honored as "Gong Bao". Because the "founder" Ding Baozhen was the official title of "Gong Bao", this dish was called "kung pao chicken", and it soon became a delicious dish for the vast number of diners. After continuous improvement and innovation by chefs, it became a famous dish throughout the country. According to this statement, Ding Baozhen is not a governor in Shandong; Therefore, this dish called "Kung Pao" has nothing to do with Shandong.
Therefore, Shandong people say that this dish was invented and became popular when Ding Baozhen was the governor of Shandong, and it should be "Shandong cuisine"; Sichuanese say that Ding Baozhen became famous when he was the governor of Sichuan, or how to call him "Gong Bao"? Beijingers said that since they entered the palace banquet, it was of course the palace cuisine, while Guizhou people said: What? This is Ding Baozhen's hometown. Friends and relatives welcome him and cook some dishes for him. One of them, fried diced chicken with tender green pepper, was very popular with Ding, so he asked the name of the dish. In order to please him, someone said: This dish is specially made for Lord Gong Bao, and it should be named after "Gong Baoji"-an authentic Guizhou dish.
A dish has caused so many claims, but there is no exact "ownership", which is also a much-told story in the dishes. Anyway, today, all the chefs in Jinan's large and small restaurants can't miss this famous dish as long as they are under the banner of "Shandong cuisine".
Today, there are three kung pao chicken with the same name: Guizhou flavor, Shandong flavor and Sichuan flavor, but Sichuan flavor is the most famous.