Novels like Rising and Falling in the Sea of Officialdom
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Rising and Falling in the Sea of Officialdom, best match first.
- 1 Officialdom: Turning the Tables from the Interrogation Room 官场：从讯问室开始逆袭 Are rulers and nobles born to rule? Jiang Chen had spent half his life downcast and miserable. Now he was back in 2002, one week before quitting his job to go into business! This time, he would never compromise! He swore to take back everything he'd lost and repay it fivefold, tenfold. He'd take down the tigers and the flies alike! He understood now: you can't fight darkness with gentleness. You have to use fire. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 The Yama of Officialdom 官场阎王 In 2002, Wang Tianzhu became a discipline inspection official in Sunan Province. From that day on, a saying spread through the provincial government: “Better to meet the King of Hell than Old Wang.” That was because no one ever escaped a case Wang Tianzhu took on! Others relied on political connections to get promoted. Old Wang earned every promotion by solving cases! 57Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 3 A Rising Star in Politics 官场骄子 Ma Xiaole, an orphan from the countryside, was mischievous from an early age. With the help of a mysterious power, he carefully navigates the worlds of politics and business, using every chance and shortcut he can find to thrive in both. 88Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 4 A Game Within a Game 局中局 The life and death of an underworld kingpin draws the close attention of Interpol. Fang Sheng is ordered to protect a criminal informant, but he and the informant share a blood feud. The Crocodile Killer Group and Europe's Faceless Man launch an all-out hunt! EDG executives, FBI agents: who's pulling the strings? A special forces instructor and Europe's top assassin: whose fists are harder? The most dangerous enemy is always hiding in the shadows. The police make a cunning move to unravel one my 2Reads9.2Score414d adds
- 5 The Pinnacle of Public Service: Starting at a Township Government Office 仕途巅峰：从乡镇事业单位开始 Chen Bo was a college graduate from the countryside who couldn't find a job after graduation. At last, he managed to get a position at a township government institution. Since he had majored in Chinese and had a decent writing ability, the office needed someone to draft documents, and his superiors began to rely on him. But one night, he witnessed something he shouldn't have seen, and was sidelined from then on. He spent decades working quietly at the township office, reaching his forties still 5Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 6 A Career in Politics: The Ambitious Man’s Rise 官场人生之鸿鹄逆袭 Lin Tian is down on his luck at work, and when he gets home, he receives a “surprise” from his wife! When life hits rock bottom, what is there left to fear? Just as he loses all hope, he unexpectedly uses his remarkable medical skills to save a mysterious powerful figure… 104Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Pinnacle of Power: Starting as a Grassroots Civil Servant 权力巅峰：从基层公务员开始 When Chen Mo opens his eyes, he has returned to the starting point of his political career: the Municipal Government Office. Twenty years of ups and downs in his previous life, all spent achieving nothing? This time, he carries in his mind the upheavals and hidden opportunities of the next decade and beyond! Rules are his blade, memories his chess pieces. He predicts floods with precision and saves people from disaster; deftly resolves crises and makes a name for himself at city hall; and spots 674Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 Li Xiaoguang’s Road to Politics 李晓光从政之路 Li Xiaoguang started out at the grassroots level in a small town, quietly working hard in difficult conditions. He faced countless hardships and pain along the way, yet never gave up. His perseverance brought him the joy of success, and through tireless effort he steadily rose through the ranks, eventually reaching the top and writing an inspiring story. 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Claiming the Pinnacle of Power 问鼎权力巅峰 After getting into trouble, Yang Ming saw his career in government collapse. Disillusioned after being disciplined, he headed to the provincial capital to ask his mentor for advice on what to do next. By chance, however, he saved a provincial bureau leader, changing the course of his fate. From then on, he made his mark in officialdom and rose rapidly through the ranks. 1.9kReads8.1Score22314d adds
- 10 First in the Civil Service Exam, Then Promoted Until the Whole City Was Stunned 公考第一，辗转提拔到震惊全市 After failing the exam, he gets dumped. Starting over in 2006, Lu Hong enters the world of officialdom once again. But the moment he steps inside, he finds himself in a power game where every move could be fatal: He’s barely started the job when he’s secretly demoted and sent to a village. An inspection turns out to be a trap. When he gets promoted, he winds up as a corrupt official’s secretary! His plans for public works are obstructed at every turn, and a temporary transfer to the city is ridd 24.9kReads8.5Score2.2k14d adds
- 11 A Shadow War for Power: I Rise to the Top 权力暗战：我一飞冲天 Wang Mancang, a township civil servant, accidentally saves He Chaomei, director of the county Discipline Inspection Commission's Supervision Office. From then on, his career takes off and fortune smiles on him... 124Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 12 A Grassroots Civil Servant: After an Investigation, I Rise Through the Ranks 草根科员：被审查后，我平步青云 When a leader falls, their secretary takes the hit. That’s how it always goes. After his superior was taken away, Yang Che faced the end of his political career: being exiled to watch over a reservoir. Reborn in 2012, Yang Che struck hard, orchestrating a grand scheme from behind everyone’s backs! With the advantage of foresight and a powerful patron behind him, he rose to the pinnacle of politics! “What? You won’t let me get ahead? Then none of you are getting ahead either!” “I’ve been reborn! 114Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 13 Reborn in the Political Arena: Starting by Refusing to Be a Powerful Family’s Live-In Son-in-Law 重生官场：从拒绝当权门赘婿开始 In his previous life, Liu Jiangtao was a powerless nobody who married into a powerful family. Everyone had just finished saying that the Liu family's ancestors must have had extraordinary luck when, the very next moment, they saw him led away in handcuffs. Reborn by chance, he has already seen through human nature. He decisively turns down the daughter of the powerful family, and a path to the top now lies before him. From then on, his official career soars. 457Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 14 Reborn: No Regrets in My Career in Politics 重生之我的官场生涯无憾 Yang Rui had spent his entire life going nowhere in officialdom. At 60, he was reborn, traveling from 2032 back to 1989, the year he had just graduated. He also had an invisible phone that could search for important information. With it, Yang Rui proceeded cautiously, rising step by step through the ranks. He found success in both his career and love, and forged a very different life for himself. 214Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 15 The Road to Power in Officialdom 官路权梦 The winds and sands of the northwestern Gobi cannot wear down a young man’s spirit. Clinging to the conviction, “How could I bow and scrape before the powerful, and let that rob me of my joy?”, Sun Zhengping leaves the countryside and enters officialdom. With no connections to rely on and no shortcuts to take, he fights his way through mountains of paperwork and endless meetings, treading carefully through the maelstrom of power. The tides of the times surge. Some people lose their way as their 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 County Officials and Businesspeople 县域官与商 A young man whose life has been ravaged by fate takes on the mission of restoring his family after his father is murdered. He matches wits with all kinds of people in the worlds of politics and business, while the woman he loves is taken from him by a rival. After enduring a cruel marriage, she is heartlessly abandoned. Once he rises to power and success, how will he face the past? —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 A Government Bureau? I Just Want to Raise the Sword of Justice! 官局？我只想举起正义之剑！ The road to power is long and fraught with danger. Human nature has gone to the dogs, and everyone is out for themselves. Reborn, all I want is to raise the sword of justice and cut down every shameless scoundrel in the world! No harem, no womanizing: of the three thousand beauties, I'll choose just one! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 Winning Every Step of the Way 步步为赢 A commoner enters the world of government with no connections or backing. Yet no matter how often he is struck down, he refuses to fall, always turning danger into safety. His background is unfathomable, and time after time he stands out from the crowd. Young and unafraid of failure, he climbs the ranks one step at a time. 116Reads9.1Score—14d adds
- 19 Supreme Officialdom 官道至尊 Reborn by a twist of fate, Yang Dongcheng makes a choice utterly different from the one he made in his previous life. He embarks on a dazzling road to the top, navigating the treacherous world of officialdom and throwing his weight around in the arena of power, rising to become a dazzling new star... 7Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 20 The Road to Power: A Nobody's Rise to the Top 官道：小人物的权势巅峰 You have to give it your all at least once to earn the right, someday in the future, to raise a glass of cheap wine to the self who refused to settle for an ordinary life! Li Tao, a subordinate, and his superior Bai Yulu support each other through the political arena, cutting through every obstacle as they climb together to the pinnacle of power!!! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 Rising Through the Ranks of Officialdom 官场之青云直上 He was promoted and appointed, only to be sent to a remote mountain township in the middle of nowhere. Was it a demotion, or was there another assignment? Ouyang Ming upheld his sense of justice and fought for the people. He cleared away the fog, broke through the deadlock, stood out, navigated political intrigue, and punished lawbreakers. Righteous and fearless, Ouyang Ming climbed step by step toward the peak of his life. 193Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Officialdom: Power in Interwoven Hands 官场：权利交织 Shang Quancai never expected that simply bragging would let two women turn the tables on him. He didn't want to lose face in front of them, so if he bragged to the point where nobody could prove him wrong, then it wouldn't count as bragging, right? Wasn't there a saying in official circles that nothing is impossible, only people who can't get things done? Besides, once you've taken a dump, can you really sit back down in it? 188Reads6.1Score10814d adds
- 23 A Weathered Political Career 沧桑官途 Without attaching himself to power, and without using it to bully others, Gong Zheng unexpectedly embarked on a career in public service. Starting by taking the fall for the county Party secretary, he skillfully leveraged every opportunity and rose steadily through the ranks, while also experiencing the ups and downs of officialdom... 121Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 The Unorthodox Sword on the Road to Officialdom 仕途之剑走偏锋 While others are scrambling to transfer into city government offices, he chooses to head down to the grassroots level, moving from the top to the bottom. In truth, he is taking this unconventional path to make himself stronger. This is a comeback story set in the world of politics. A man from humble beginnings relies on his own intelligence and courage to overcome obstacle after obstacle on his career path, ultimately becoming a talented young leader in charge of an entire region... 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 The Official's All-Seeing Eye: Rising From the Bottom 透视官眼：从最基层开始崛起 Banished to a judicial office at the very lowest level, Wu Haoran watched the aging director, who had spent his entire career in this post and was nearing retirement, face a situation even worse than Qi Tongwei's. Now that his official's eye had been activated, Wu Haoran secretly vowed to rise from here and surpass Qi Tongwei. From that day on, he reveled in the company of beautiful women and wielded power over the realm, making his way through the officialdom. 19Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 26 Reborn: Chronicles of the Political Arena 重生之官场风云录 [Not plot-driven + no System + not a power fantasy + plenty of twists and turns + political intrigue + no harem + no love interests] Back at a crossroads in life, Zhou Mingyuan takes a steady, strategic approach this time, climbing one peak after another until he reaches the pinnacle of power. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 One Step to the Clouds 一步青云 A mountain can crumble, and a river can run dry. Lu Zhengliang is suppressed by his superior and betrayed by his beloved wife, sending his life into a downward spiral. At his lowest point, he relies on sheer courage to win the favor of a benefactor and the support of a beautiful woman. In the end, he builds a grand empire and becomes a winner in life. 1.4kReads8.7Score15414d adds
- 28 A Young Police Officer's Reversal of Fortune 小民警的逆袭人生 The woman before him left Li Jia with a jumble of conflicting feelings. He could look down on anyone else. Back in the village, he was his family's pride, and his classmates practically put him on a pedestal. But to her, he was nothing. It's true that a change of environment can change a person. As soon as her career started taking off, she seemed to become a completely different person. He couldn't make sense of it. He looked at his girlfriend, dressed to the nines in a work uniform, and felt 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 Rising Through the Ranks: Starting as a Township Chief 平步青云：从乡长开始 Wu Zheng, a cadre reassigned to a new post, faced a hostile welcome on his very first day as township chief. Using his iron-fisted methods, he launched a determined counterattack, climbed one step at a time, and rose to the pinnacle of power. As he advanced, the daughter of a high-ranking official became his confidante, while a group CEO became his close friend. Together, they worked to give ordinary people a better life. 147Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 30 The Pinnacle of Power 仕途巅峰 The world is cruel, and people are heartless. Rain falls at dusk, when flowers are quick to fade. The morning breeze dries, but tear stains remain. I long to write down what’s in my heart, yet can only speak to myself by the railing. It is so hard, so hard, so hard. We are parted now, and nothing is as it was. My ailing soul swings like a rope in autumn wind. The horn sounds cold, and night grows late. Afraid someone will ask, I swallow my tears and pretend to be happy. I hide it, hide it, hide 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 A Prodigy's Path to Power 天骄仕途 The world of officialdom is full of unseen clashes and schemes, ruthless enough to kill without spilling a drop of blood! It may look like flowers embroidered on brocade, but beneath the surface, it’s a pot boiling over a raging fire! Lu Mingyuan, a small-town exam grinder, rose from humble beginnings, enjoyed a meteoric career, took command of power, and improved people’s lives, composing a magnificent chapter for a new era! 8Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 32 Changing Shi Dakai’s Fate, Starting at the Dadu River 改变石达开命运，从大渡河开始 There is a System, with a focus on realistic history and an ordinary golden finger. This isn't a mindless power fantasy where the System raises an army for the protagonist. If that bothers you, don't read this. Shi Dingqing, a third-year university student, transmigrates into the body of a low-ranking soldier under Shi Dakai, the Wing King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It's May 1863, and Shi Dakai will be defeated and die in June. Shi Dingqing is currently marching alongside him. How is this 5Reads8.0Score414d adds
- 33 A Land of Splendor 繁华满地 What is the political arena? An Eden for those in power? Or a battlefield for those who ride the waves? Some say it’s a game of power, full of deceit and intrigue; Others say it’s a test of human nature, riddled with scheming at every turn! Han Jiang thinks it’s neither. The political arena is a battle between black and white, good and evil! In his previous life, Han Jiang was a special forces soldier who fell victim to a villain’s scheme. In this life, he will root out corruption and restore ju —Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 34 I Can See Returns, and I'm Unrivaled in Wealth and Power 能看见回报率，我权财无双 The day my girlfriend got the job she wanted, she dumped me for being poor. That night, though, I discovered I could see the wealth and fortune of people and projects. What looked like a mess to everyone else was, in my eyes, a chance to turn things around. In a fruit orchard whose produce wouldn’t sell, I saw that the real problem wasn’t the harvest, but a missed sales opportunity. In an unfinished building no one dared touch, I found the key to getting construction started again. Even with th 685Reads6.1Score10214d adds
- 35 Raging Storm 暴风骤雨 Ye Chihan is an outstanding talent who rose up from the grassroots. This time, in an effort to turn around a county’s severely lagging economic development, his superiors assign him to the grassroots to forge a new path. With his deep grounding in economics and extraordinary intelligence, Ye Chihan stays true to his original purpose and proceeds steadily through a complex and ever-changing situation. In the end, he fulfills his mission and completes the task entrusted to him by his superiors, th 67Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 36 Officialdom: From Deputy Township Chief to the Pinnacle of Power 官场：从副乡级到权力巅峰 How does a farmer's son reach the pinnacle of power? Through sheer tactics. How does a low-level official break through the odds and rise to the top? Through integrity. Let the curtain rise: I'll command the winds and clouds of the political world. When I look back, the mountains and rivers will lie beneath my feet. My name is Chen Zhuoran, and I'm writing the story of my political career. 733Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 37 Path to the Clouds: Governing a Region 青云志，主政一方 When Guan Ming was parachuted into Qingzhou, he was greeted not with flowers, but with a mass incident carefully orchestrated against him. Everyone waited to see how this “scholar” would be devoured by the local powers. He only smiled, turned their own strength against them, and transformed the crisis into a sharp blade, cutting through a corrupt fortress that had dominated the region for decades. But the real game had only just begun. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 The Road to Power: I Was Exiled to the Wolves' Den 官路我被下放到狼窝 I saved someone from the provincial discipline inspection commission, and thought I'd found myself a powerful ally. Turns out she was in an even worse predicament than me, hunted down with nowhere to hide. The waters in this small town run too deep. All we can do is lean on each other and turn the whole place upside down. 44Reads—Score10414d adds
- 39 Officialese 官腔 Behind power lie worldly savvy, strategy, and human relationships. Only the truly shrewd can play this game well. Xia Dong starts out stuck on the sidelines in the county committee office, then rises to become director of the county education bureau. Just when he thinks his troubles are finally over, he finds himself caught between danger on both sides. Let’s see how he breaks through the impasse. 95Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 40 The Game of Power 权利的游戏 Reborn in 2001, Gao Yuan decides he won’t lie flat anymore. He’ll ride the waves and fight his way forward in officialdom. Subtle dealings and favors, ruthless political power struggles, intense clashes of ideals, and the unpredictable ups and downs of a career in government. This is the story of a young official’s journey of transformation. 515Reads7.4Score10314d adds
- 41 Reborn: From Suspension and Self-Criticism to the Pinnacle of Power 重生：从停职检讨到权力巅峰 (This book needs extensive revisions, so updates are temporarily suspended.) You only get a few chances in life to give it your all. Returning to 1997 with memories of his past life, he starts by writing a self-criticism after being suspended, then rides the tide upward, rises rapidly through the ranks, and ultimately reaches the pinnacle. 6Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 42 Reborn in Officialdom: The Road to the Top 重生官场，巅峰之路 The road to power is hard to navigate. You must not only dodge attacks from both sides, but also hold fast to the conviction of serving the public. When you prosper, work for the good of all; when you are down, keep yourself above reproach! This is the story of a third-generation official’s rise to the top. Jiang Ning is reborn in 1991. Driven by the convictions in his heart, he will lead a life utterly different from the one he lived before. Years of ups and downs in the political arena pass. W —Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 43 A Chronicle of Officialdom 官场纪实录 The author works within the system and draws on real experience in officialdom. This is not a wish-fulfillment story; there aren't that many gratifying moments in the system. To make the story more entertaining, some things will be exaggerated and others invented. As for what is real and what is made up, readers can decide for themselves. The place names and personal names are deliberately mismatched, not what you might think. 553Reads—Score10614d adds
- 44 The Uncrowned King 无冕之王 Jing Tao is reported during the public notice of his appointment as director. After his promotion falls through, his former leader makes a decision on his own and sends him to gain experience at the grassroots level. Under Jing Tao’s leadership, the community is reborn. Using his strengths, he actively takes part in the process of democratization and helps address a wide range of social issues, including housing, education, healthcare, elder care, and people’s livelihoods. He truly fulfills the 23Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 45 Officialdom: Just Fired, Already Pursued by a Beauty 官场：刚被免职就被佳人缠上 The tides of officialdom bring endless temptations: money, beautiful women, and power. When all of these were placed before Zhao Chen, a man who had always taken life in stride, he somehow stumbled into a world of sensual pleasures. Watch as he turns the tables at will, deftly escapes the traps of passion, and rises steadily through the ranks. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 The Peak of Politics: Starting in the Demolition Office After Being Demoted 官场巅峰，从被贬拆迁办开始 The political arena has always been a battlefield. Power, money, and sex can ruin an ordinary man, but they can also make a strong one. Zhao Yu graduated from a prestigious university and served in southern Tibet for three years. Just as he entered government service, he hit the lowest point of his life, getting assigned to the toughest, most exhausting, and most dangerous street-level demolition office. His wife set him up with a scandal, but the misfortune turned out to be a blessing, and he r 131Reads9.2Score—14d adds
- 47 The Cold and Warmth of the Halls of Power 官场冷暖 Zhang Ming is an ordinary grassroots civil servant. Navigating the gap between personal relationships and the rules, he climbs step by step to the pinnacle of power. This is a story of political maneuvering, difficult choices, and personal redemption. The protagonist, Zhang Ming, starts out as a low-ranking township clerk. After demonstrating extraordinary courage and ability during an unexpected incident, he catches the attention of his superiors. In the treacherous world of officialdom, he 23Reads6.8Score10014d adds
- 48 Dropped into the Grassroots: From the Start, I'm Stuck with Ten Billion in Bad Debts? 空降基层，开局就背百亿烂账？ Chen Yuan, a "Beijing official," has just parachuted in as the top leader of Tushui District, only to find the government compound gates blocked by petitioners. A fiscal black hole worth tens of billions, unfinished projects scattered across the city, deeply entrenched local factions, and a calculating superior. Every move is deadly, and danger lurks at every turn! How will Chen Yuan, a newcomer, maneuver through the traps and temper himself into a blade aimed straight at the unwritten rules? Th 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 The Human Struggle Amid the Turmoil of Government 官场风云中的人性挣扎 In the turbulent, unpredictable world of politics, power and desire intertwine, while justice and greed collide. With its sharp, penetrating prose, this novel, “The Struggle of Human Nature Amid Political Turmoil,” paints a remarkable portrait of life in the political arena. The story follows the protagonist’s political career. When he first enters public service, he is full of ideals and ambition, determined to improve people’s lives. But as he climbs the ranks and is shaped by his surrounding 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 Climbing the Ladder: I Really Want to Get Ahead 步步高升：我真是太想进步了 Gao Sheng majored in Chinese Language and Literature. In college, he was a class officer, presented a polished image, earned excellent grades, and joined the Communist Party. During the 2010 graduation season, he landed a job at Bingzhou Industrial Investment Group, a state-owned enterprise under the provincial capital in his hometown. Coming from a rural background, he thought that joining a state-owned enterprise would let him put his outstanding abilities to use and build a brilliant future. 131Reads—Score—14d adds
