The saying “May you live in interesting times” is usually described as an
old Chinese curse, but the earliest appearance in print seems to be in a
1950 story by the science fiction writer Eric Frank Russell. It occurs in
Ernest Bramah’s The Wallet of Kai Lung (1900), a series of tales set in a
wholly imagined version of China – hence the belief that is is a genuine
Chinese curse. It is the first of three progressively more awful curses.
The others are “May you come to the attention of those in high places” and
“May the gods grant your prayers”.
– Andrew Barton, Watford, Hertfordshire in (International) Guardian
Weekly March 8 – 14 page 19

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