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"May you live in interesting times" is an English expression purported to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse. Despite being so common in English as to be known as "the Chinese curse", the saying is apocryphal, and no actual Chinese source has ever been produced. == Origins == Despite being widely attributed as a Chinese curse, there is no equivalent expression in Chinese.〔Bryan W. Van Norden. ''Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy.'' (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2011; ISBN 9781603844697), (p. 53 ), sourcing Fred R. Shapiro, ed., ''The Yale Book of Quotations'' (New Haven: Yale University Press 2006), (p. 669 ).〕 The nearest related Chinese expression is "" (''nìng wéi tàipíng quǎn, mò zuò luàn lí rén''), which is usually translated as "Better to be a dog in a peaceful time, than to be a man in a chaotic (warring) period."〔(The Grammarphobia Blog: May you live in interesting times )〕 The expression originates from Volume 3 of the 1627 short story collection by Feng Menglong, ''Stories to Awaken the World''. Evidence that the phrase was in use as early as 1936 is provided in a memoir written by Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, the British Ambassador to China in 1936 and 1937, and published in 1949. He mentions that before he left England for China in 1936, a friend told him of a Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times".〔Knatchbull-Hugessen, Hughe: ''Diplomat in Peace and War'', John Murray 1949 (p. ix books.google )〕 Frederic René Coudert, Jr. also recounts having heard the phrase at the time: The phrase is again described as a "Chinese curse" in an article published in ''Child Study: A Journal of Parent Education'' in 1943.〔''Child Study: A Journal of Parent Education'', Volume 21, (p. 52 books.google ).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「May you live in interesting times」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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