Riding the Waves of the Political Arena

Born to an ordinary family, Cheng Shiming passes the civil service exam after graduating from university and becomes a township official. By a stroke of luck, he transfers to the General Office of the municipal government and begins his career in politics. He can turn official jargon into plain language. When a farmer slaps his thigh and cries, “That’s exactly how it is!” after reading one of his research reports, he knows he’s made himself understood. He knows the population figures for all 123 townships in the city by heart. A glance at a leader’s teacup while serving tea tells him exactly how far the meeting should have progressed. While his peers use connections to scheme their way up and buy their posts to rake in money, he treats politics like a profession. He hones his skills through the mundane work of drafting documents and organizing meetings, and searches for solutions amid the angry complaints over redevelopment disputes. Ten years later, some are counting the days in prison, while he has become Nanjiang’s youngest department-level official. This isn’t a wish-fulfillment novel. It’s a guide to survival that anyone from an ordinary background can understand.