May you live in interesting times

[Benjamin Barrett]

I think it's pretty common. I've read it in several places and heard it at
least once.

Benjamin Barrett
gogaku at ix.netcom.com

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf Of
Bob Haas
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 14:03

I'm familiar with this (now) ersatz quote from a film or a book, but I
cannot place it.  Can anybody help out?

> From: Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>
> I received a request from the Lehrer/McNeil Newshour to verify the Chinese
> version of the proverb translated into English as "may you live in
> interesting times". McNeil was told that this was an ancient Chinese
curse.