# 'May you live in interesting times!'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-live-in-interesting-times/77372>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-live-in-interesting-times/77372 "2001-08-21T17:24:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-live-in-interesting-times/77372/1 "2001-08-21T17:24:49Z")

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So we are told by this “ancient Chinese curse.” I had always heard it such, but then became a little suspicious. What little I’ve been able to find is that it has very murky origins. Here’s a link that describes someone else’s pursuit:

[http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm](http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm)

Anyone with any insight on a)it’s Chinese origin, and b)if it is really Chinese, what is the actual translation?

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**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/may-you-live-in-interesting-times/77372/2 "2001-08-21T17:35:39Z")

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I don’t know if these are authoritative, but here are some cites that discount the Chinese origins:  
[http://www.noblenet.org/reference/inter.htm](http://www.noblenet.org/reference/inter.htm)  
[http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm](http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm)

I suspect this is as Chinese as many “Confusius says…” mumblings.