In the winter of 1998, when I walked into the township government compound with mottled walls for the first time, I had no idea that I would spend five years here, and I would keep turning forward in the similar houses in the back, which were large or small, representing grassroots political power...
At that time, I had just graduated from technical secondary school. With awe of the system and longing for the future, I thought that the word "cadre" meant documents, meetings and a decent life. But reality soon gave me a blow - hard road construction, village tax collection, family planning raids, flood prevention and disaster relief, dispute mediation... Every job made me struggle between ideal and reality.
Later, I worked in many positions in the county... Each role was like a mirror, reflecting the complexity of grassroots politics, the many sides of human nature, and the ups and downs of ordinary people's fate under the changing times...
This is not an official novel, nor is it just a personal memoir, but a living record of a grassroots cadre. What I want to record is not only the policies in the documents and the slogans at the meetings, but also the true appearance of the policies when they are implemented, the fate of individuals obscured by grand narratives, and the games, compromises and perseverance within and outside the system.
More than 20 years have passed, many things have become the past, many people have left long ago. But those experiences are engraved in my memory like a brand. Looking back now, there is no absolute good or evil in grassroots work, there are only differences in stances, weighing of interests, and everyone's helplessness and choices under the tide of the times.
This book is dedicated to all those who have struggled at the grassroots level, and to readers who are trying to understand China's grassroots political ecology.
Reader comments
It overturned my view on grassroots work going to the countryside. It is not easy. Worth a look
This book is a bowl of strong tea brewed from my nine years of youth experience. We do not glorify suffering, we do not mythologize heroes, we just let Qin Dongs take you into the trembling hands, sleepless nights, and sighs that hesitate to speak behind the policy documents. If you can think of this group of people by the Han River late at night after reading it, it will be the highest praise for this work.
The sequel to this book, Breaking the Situation at the Grassroots Level, will be released soon, so please read it.
Real rural experiences will always inadvertently touch the memories deep in my heart, including warmth, bitterness, confusion, burden and growth. Those were the lush years of the post-70s generation.
It is really a different kind of grassroots officialdom novel. It is written very delicately and realistically, and it brought back my memories.
At once. . . Can't get enough!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
My understanding of novels is that novels that can lift people's spirits and make them easy to understand are good novels. This one is pretty good.
Anyway, it's my favorite type, from the plot to the content, it's pretty good.
It's really good. I can see that the author put a lot of effort into writing it. Five stars for your hard work.
Moreover, I particularly like the author's description of details. Every detail is described very well, making me feel as if I am actually there.
This book has strong logic, closely linked links, and novel content. It is a good book and worth reading.
The subject matter is quite novel and the plot is interesting.
The characterization is very vivid, and it is not a routine plot. Everyone has their own characteristics, and everyone has their own pursuits.
This is my first review of a book. The writing is very good and not sluggish. I read it closely, and I still can't get enough of it.
Very interesting, with novel themes and rich and colorful content.
Hey! I finally finished reading it. The author's portrayal of the characters is so profound. Each has its own characteristics and emotions, and the emotions and joys are vividly expressed. I have no regrets.
This book allowed me to see the substantial content, exquisite structure and rich characters. It is a beautiful and infinite flow, and it received five stars.
The plot is thought-provoking, and the characters are complex and diverse. Like a deep lake, it is unpredictable, but you can't help but want to find out.
Very well written! The plot is twists and turns and the language is concise and beautiful!
The author's writing style is excellent, and the descriptions of various scenes and dramas are simply superb. I felt as if I had really stepped into the novel.
What a great book! The content is very novel, the plot is exciting, and many plots are very shocking.
Very good, the storyline is in order, I still want to continue after reading it, come on!
It's very interesting, the plot is compact and full of ups and downs.
The writing is very good and the emotions are very delicate. There is no ridiculous plot, it is very real, beautiful and close to reality.
The content is compact and the author's writing is very good. I highly recommend it.
The plot, characters, structure, etc. Are well developed, and the writing style is good, but the explosive power needs to be strengthened.
It's so exciting and magical, I can't stop watching it. Good reviews
It's very good, the language is fluent, the writing is good, and I have a very good experience after reading it.
It's rare to meet a protagonist who has extremely upright views and is good at thinking. He's very good-looking.
Super super beautiful. The author's writing style really attracted fans, and it's highly rated.
This is an article worth reading! The article has a compact structure and the characters have their own unique characteristics.
It overturned my view on grassroots work going to the countryside. It is not easy. Worth a look
This book is a bowl of strong tea brewed from my nine years of youth experience. We do not glorify suffering, we do not mythologize heroes, we just let Qin Dongs take you into the trembling hands, sleepless nights, and sighs that hesitate to speak behind the policy documents. If you can think of this group of people by the Han River late at night after reading it, it will be the highest praise for this work. The sequel to this book, Breaking the Situation at the Grassroots Level, will be released soon, so please read it.
Real rural experiences will always inadvertently touch the memories deep in my heart, including warmth, bitterness, confusion, burden and growth. Those were the lush years of the post-70s generation.
It is really a different kind of grassroots officialdom novel. It is written very delicately and realistically, and it brought back my memories.
At once. . . Can't get enough!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
My understanding of novels is that novels that can lift people's spirits and make them easy to understand are good novels. This one is pretty good.
Anyway, it's my favorite type, from the plot to the content, it's pretty good.
It's really good. I can see that the author put a lot of effort into writing it. Five stars for your hard work.
Moreover, I particularly like the author's description of details. Every detail is described very well, making me feel as if I am actually there.
This book has strong logic, closely linked links, and novel content. It is a good book and worth reading.
The subject matter is quite novel and the plot is interesting.
The characterization is very vivid, and it is not a routine plot. Everyone has their own characteristics, and everyone has their own pursuits.
This is my first review of a book. The writing is very good and not sluggish. I read it closely, and I still can't get enough of it.
Very interesting, with novel themes and rich and colorful content.
Hey! I finally finished reading it. The author's portrayal of the characters is so profound. Each has its own characteristics and emotions, and the emotions and joys are vividly expressed. I have no regrets.
This book allowed me to see the substantial content, exquisite structure and rich characters. It is a beautiful and infinite flow, and it received five stars.
The plot is thought-provoking, and the characters are complex and diverse. Like a deep lake, it is unpredictable, but you can't help but want to find out.
Very well written! The plot is twists and turns and the language is concise and beautiful!
The author's writing style is excellent, and the descriptions of various scenes and dramas are simply superb. I felt as if I had really stepped into the novel.
What a great book! The content is very novel, the plot is exciting, and many plots are very shocking.
Very good, the storyline is in order, I still want to continue after reading it, come on!
It's very interesting, the plot is compact and full of ups and downs.
The writing is very good and the emotions are very delicate. There is no ridiculous plot, it is very real, beautiful and close to reality.
The content is compact and the author's writing is very good. I highly recommend it.
The plot, characters, structure, etc. Are well developed, and the writing style is good, but the explosive power needs to be strengthened.
It's so exciting and magical, I can't stop watching it. Good reviews
It's very good, the language is fluent, the writing is good, and I have a very good experience after reading it.
It's rare to meet a protagonist who has extremely upright views and is good at thinking. He's very good-looking.
Super super beautiful. The author's writing style really attracted fans, and it's highly rated.
This is an article worth reading! The article has a compact structure and the characters have their own unique characteristics.