"May you live in an exciting time..." is a recognized English expression as a translation of the traditional Chinese curse. Although it appears to be a blessing, the phrase is usually used ironically, with the obvious implication that the 'unattractiveness time' of peace and quiet is more life-enhancing than attractive, which from a historical point of view usually includes disorders and conflicts.
Though so common in English known as "bb> Chinese Curse, the saying is apocryphal, and no real Chinese source has ever been produced." The most likely relationship with Chinese culture can be inferred from the analysis of the Joseph-Al-Abad century to-19, may have been wrongly transmitted and revised through his son, Austen Chamberlain.
Video May you live in interesting times
Origins
Although widely regarded as a Chinese curse, no equivalent expression is known in Chinese. The closest Chinese expression is " ?????, ????? " ( nÃÆ'¬ng wÃÆ' Â © i tÃÆ' ipÃÆ'ng qu'n, mÃÆ'² zuÃÆ'² luÃÆ'n lÃÆ' rÃÆ' Â © n ), which is usually translated as "Better to be a dog in peacetime, than to be a human in a chaotic period (war)." The expression comes from Volume 3 of the 1627 short story collection by Feng Menglong, Stories for Generating the World .
The basic premise of the curse can also be found in the quote by the German philosopher Hegel:
"The history of the world is not the basis of happiness. The period of happiness is a blank page within him."
The evidence that the phrase was used as early as 1936 was provided in a memoir written by Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, British Ambassador to China in 1936 and 1937, and published in 1949. He mentioned that before he left England for China in 1936, a friend told her about the Chinese curse, "May you live in an exciting time."
Frederic Renà ©  © Coudert, Jr. also recounted after hearing the phrase at the time:
A few years ago, in 1936, I had to write to a dear and esteemed friend of mine, Sir Austen Chamberlain, brother of the current Prime Minister, and I closed my letter with a rather superficial comment "that we live in an exciting age ". Evidently he read the entire letter, for in reply he wrote to me and concluded: "Years ago I learned from one of our diplomats in China that one of the main Chinese curses of the enemy was," May you live at an interesting age. '"" Surely ", he said," there is no more full age with the insecurity of our own present. "That was three years ago.
Maps May you live in interesting times
"Chamberlain Curse"?
Research by the philosopher Garson O'Toole shows the possible origins in the minds of Austen Chamberlain's father Joseph Chamberlain who dated around the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. In particular, O'Toole quoted the following statement made by Joseph during a speech in 1898:
I think you will all agree that we live in the most exciting time. I never remember the time where our history was so full, where day after day brought us new interesting objects, and, let me say also, new objects for anxiety. (Listening, hearing.) [emphasis added]
From this it is possible that the Chamberlain family may have inadvertently transmitted the people's etymology by expanding the use of Joseph Chamberlain's concept to refer to some Chinese curses.
This phrase is again described as "the Chinese curse" in an article published in the Child Study: A Journal of Parent Education in 1943.
See also
- The Chinese word for "crisis"
- Interesting Time , Terry Pratchett's novel
References
External links
- Stephen E. DeLong (May 5, 1998). "Get life (n interesting)!". Archived from the original on 2004-04-04 . Retrieved 2008-08-03 .
- "Origin of Phrase: Hope You Lived In Attractive Time". Archived from the original in 2007-10-16 . Retrieved 2008-08-03 .
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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