" May you live in interesting times " is an English expression that is claimed to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse. While seemingly a blessing, the expression is normally used ironically; life is better in "uninteresting times" of peace and tranquility than in "interesting" ones, which are usually times of trouble. The first Chinese curse (and the most well-known one) is "May you live in interesting times". The Blessing Part: Well, who wants to live in boring times? Every young man and woman has a deep-seated desire for action, fun, and adventure. You want to be in the midst of things as they unfold, bring about change, and live an exciting life.
May You Live In Interesting Times, An Old Chinese Curse by Rachel Lawson 2940175139083
这句谚语看起来似乎是祝词（blessing），其实却是一句诅咒/咒骂（curse），含义是" 希望你在生活中经历更多混乱和麻烦 "（May you experience much disorder and trouble in your life）。 【出处】 这句话最早出现在1939年出版的《 Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science 》上面，作者Frederic R. Coudert说： 1936年，我的挚友Sir Austen Chamberlain逝世，他是现任首相的兄弟。 我曾在信里对他说"我们生活在一个有趣的年代"（that we were living in an interesting age）。 May you live in interesting times. May you live in an interesting age. May you live in exciting times. I asked a Chinese friend about this expression, and she said that she had never heard it before. Would you please explore its provenance? May you live in interesting times May you be recognized by people in high places (sometimes also reported as: May you attract the attention of the government) May you find what you're looking for (often heard as "be careful what you wish for… it may just come true…") The irony of these 3 curses is that, on the surface, they can seem like blessings. 1 I have often heard (and probably repeated) that there is a Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times." Is there really such a saying in Chinese? I can't think of one, and can't even think how I would translate it.
"May you live in interesting times" is a Chinese curse. Clearly they understand that pain and
May you live in an interesting age. As a "curse" it means that interesting times are usually full of turmoil and difficulty, and it conveys the a somewhat disheartening reflection about human nature — that trouble and strife always seem more interesting to us than order and calm. "May you live in interesting times" is well-known to be a Chinese curse (and this may even be true ). The English translation is interesting because, at least in the culture I was raised in, 'interesting' usually has a positive connotation, and so the phrase sounds like a blessing if you don't know what it's getting at. 'May you live in interesting times' is an English expression that is often misattributed to a traditional Chinese curse. While it might sound like a kind and generous blessing at first glance, the expression is almost always used ironically. In the Chinese zodiac this will be a Fire Rooster year which is associated with strength and vigour but also restlessness. There is no evidence that 'may you live in interesting times' is actually a Chinese proverb. It is most likely an apocryphal invention of an English speaking wordsmith. There is however a Chinese proverb that states.
"Ancient Chinese Curse May You Live In Interesting Times" Poster for Sale by ViktorCraft
'May you live in interesting times' is widely reported as being of ancient Chinese origin but is neither Chinese nor ancient, being recent and western. It certainly seems to have been intended to sound oriental, in the faux-Chinese ' Confucius he say ' style, but that's as near to China as it actually gets. Give good old Wikipedia a great new look. "May you live in interesting times" is an English expression that is claimed to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse. While seemingly a blessing, the expression is normally used ironically; life is better in "uninteresting times" of peace and tranquility than in "interesting" ones, which are.
There is a Chinese curse which says 'May he live in interesting times.' Like it or not we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. Have you ever heard of the proverb, "May you live in interesting times"? Were you told it was a Chinese proverb? You may be surprised when you read Dr. Ho Yong's answer to this question in response to a question from the PBS show, "Newshour with Jim Lehrer."
There is a Chinese curse which says 'May he live in...
In a speech in Cape Town, South Africa, on June 7, 1966, Robert F. Kennedy said, "There is a Chinese curse which says, 'May he live in interesting times.'. Like it or not, we live in interesting. In a June 6, 1966, speech at the University of Cape Town to the National Union of South African Students, Kennedy said: "There is a Chinese curse which says 'May he live in interesting times.'. Like it or not, we live in interesting times.". So where do we think the saying comes from?
