冰 - Bing1 - Ice

Prompted by a discussion this weekend on the origins of 冰淇淋 - Bing1 Qi2 Ling2 - Ice Cream. So we both did some Internet research today.

The first layer of sites support the theory that it was invented in Rome, or even by Alexander the Great. But it sounds like they’re talking about the Snow Cone, not Ice Cream itself.

The next level of sites say that actually it was found by Marco Polo in China, returned to Europe, and then popularized by the Medici family.

But then you break through to the core of sites that say that both stories are ALL LIES! In fact, there’s now doubt that Marco Polo even went to China in the first place! Apparently he is in doubt because he never mentioned tea, foot binding, chopsticks, or the Great Wall. But then again, the story goes that on his death bed a priest was trying to get him to repent and admit that all his stories were lies and his last words were “I have not told… half… of what I… AUUUUGHHHAHHCHACKCPHPTPTBPTPBTBTT….. . . .. SAW!”