"May you grow old together" is a traditional good-luck wish for newlyweds. However, according to historians, the chances of that wish coming true were mighty slim in days past. Life expectancy in the Chou dynasty 2,600 years ago was eighteen. In the Han it was a mere 22, and even as late as 260 years ago, in the Ching dynasty, it was only 28.
但根據歷史學家推估，在二千六百年前的東周時代，由於嬰兒夭折率高、時常流行可以導致大量死亡的傳染病，人的平均壽命只有十八歲；到了漢武帝時是廿二歲；而在距今二百六十餘年的清代乾隆皇帝時，也才增長至廿八歲。