A fool is muddleheaded and dim-witted! People can’t stand fools, idiots, morons, and silly scatterbrains! But in reality, some people may seem “foolish” without actually being fools. Their actions often earn praise and admiration! Without these “big fools” throughout the history of China, human civilization would never have advanced! During the sweeping rural reforms in China several decades ago, the “foolish township heads” were the backbone of their era!
The “foolish township head” in this book is the author’s own embodiment, one of those “adorably foolish” people from the 1980s and 1990s! I sincerely hope this book can promote righteousness, enlighten minds, and appeal to readers of all tastes. Foolish Township Head is adapted from the original work A Township Official’s Work Journal by Hu Shiqi, a writer from Hubei Province. Drawing on his own experience in public service, the author uses real details and genuine emotion to portray numerous typical events connected to his life. Through the perspectives of “seeing the big picture in the small,” “seeing the whole through the individual,” and “seeing the nation through one region,” the novel recreates the real achievements of China’s first twenty years of rural reform, from 1982 to 2002. It records momentous affairs of state, community matters, and family events unfolding around township head Zhou. It is a portrait of a township head’s struggles in marriage, love, and career; a true depiction of rural officials devoted to serving the country, the Party, and the people; a stirring ode to those who protect the people, a song of praise for the righteous, and a hymn to self-discipline and love for others! Its echoes linger, its events enthrall, and every installment leaves you wanting more.
This novel is also adapted from the author’s original 42-episode TV script, That Year, Those Events, That Township Head.
