Moo Goo Gai Pian

Send us Fan MailIn the 850s CE, An Nam (Vietnam's provincial name under the Tang Dynasty) came under attack by the Nanzhao kingdom, located in modern day southwestern China. Failures by successive military governors led to the appointment of Gao Pian, a proven general and Taoist. Using his skills and support from his loyal officers, Gao Pian drove out the Nanzhao invaders, retaining An Nam for the Tang. Some local Vietnamese, initially siding with the invaders to overthrow the Tang, quickly changed their minds when the Nanzhao turned their blades on them. Gao Pian then enacted a number of major civil works, including using sorcery to blow open a safer, faster water passage way to China, which improved trade for Annam. Listen for more details of how chicken stirfry saved An Nam and as Jon attempts to soft-pedal Gao Pian's later cult behaviour and war crimes. This is a pre-cursor to the time period where the Vietnamese began to regain their autonomy under local native jiedushi (military governors) and eventually full autonomy under the victor of the first Battle of Bạch Dằng, Ngô Quyền.