Novels like Officialdom Is Like a Chess Game
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Officialdom Is Like a Chess Game, best match first.
- 1 The Heavy Responsibilities of a Political Career 仕途重任 A sudden mass incident in Huxi County, caused by delays in housing deliveries, exposed how the economic development model of the past decade, built on excessive reliance on land-based financing, had reached its end... Wang Cheng was sent to Huxi County on a temporary assignment and given a mission in a time of crisis. Can he successfully fulfill it? 2.6kReads8.8Score236Shelves
- 2 Officialdom: The Road to Power Begins as a Police Officer in a Detention Center 官场：掌权之路从看守所民警开始 Yang Junbang, a police officer with the criminal investigation squad, was framed and demoted to work at a detention center. There, Yang Junbang met his benefactor and ultimately embarked on a path to defy fate and change his destiny. 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 White Mountains, Black Waters 白山黑水 In a small forestry town in Northeast China, an ordinary vocational high school graduate steps into society. He starts out as a forest ranger, seizes an opportunity to transfer to a government office, and enters public service. By a stroke of luck, he gets involved in the seedling trade and becomes a profit-driven plant dealer, earning his first fortune. Gradually, he realizes that getting further in life requires the backing of power. So he earns money while cultivating his political career. A 130Reads8.8Score119Shelves
- 4 Reborn in the Political Arena: My Road to High Office 重生官场：我的青云路 This story may take a little while to get going, but trust me: the more you read, the more hooked you’ll get, and the more satisfying it becomes. This is an ensemble power fantasy centered on officialdom. Please bear with the author if you encounter any illogical or awkward parts. I’ll keep doing my best (ง ˙o˙)ว. He was reborn, returning to 2004. Cancer hadn’t ended him; instead, it had given him eyes that could see through people and a backbone strong enough to crush every thorn in his path. 21Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 I'm Just a Bystander Here, and You Want Me to Catch Corrupt Officials? 我一个吃瓜群众，你让我抓贪官？ [Transmigration + System + Officialdom + Urban Fantasy + Anti-Corruption Epic + Revenge on Every Grudge + Lighthearted Comedy] (The author has completed two novels of over a million words each, so you can read with confidence.) Zheng Haoran is a high school student and a typical onlooker who loves watching the drama unfold. By chance, he transmigrates ten years into the future and becomes the son of a high-ranking official, awakening a System along the way. He thinks it’s a godsend, but never ex 29Reads7.4Score—Shelves
- 6 Rising and Falling in the Sea of Officialdom 宦海纵横 A poor country boy in his previous life, he makes a stunning comeback in this one and becomes a rising star in officialdom! A meek junior official in his previous life, he climbs the ranks step by step in this one, reaching heights most people can only dream of! A hopelessly nice guy who was dumped by his girlfriend in his previous life, he now finds himself surrounded by beautiful women, dazzling everyone! See how Zhou Yiming takes the worlds of politics, business, and romance by storm. With th 19Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 Officialdom: There's a Beauty Named Xiaofang in the Office 官场：办公室有位美女叫小芳 He works hard, strives to improve, and longs for pure love. Career and romance, what’s hidden and what’s out in the open... His colleague Liu Xiaohua, his classmate Huanhuan. How should he choose...? And then there’s Tang Wan’er, whom he secretly loves... —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 The County Party Committee 县委班子 County Leadership tells the story of Linchuan County's officials staying true to their original mission and fulfilling their duties as the county develops. By uniting their efforts to improve governance and drive local development, they show the positive spirit of grassroots officials devoted to serving the people and taking initiative. 3Reads6.2Score—Shelves
- 9 Reborn: A Ruthless Rise from Poverty 重生寒门逆袭全靠狠 Xu Dazhi was a humble man from a poor family, and he spent most of his life getting nowhere. He never expected to be reborn by chance. With a new life ahead of him, shouldn’t he make the most of it? Making money and turning his life around should be a piece of cake! He never wants to go back to the cowardly life he led before. In this world, starting with nothing and trying to make a good life for yourself means you have to be ruthless! 214Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 10 Setting Sail for Yunzhou 启航云州 Driven by the ideal of “making Yunzhou a better place,” dedicated official Chen Wangshu leads his team into a new chapter. They conduct in-depth research and develop plans to upgrade local industries, connect businesses with resources to help them overcome difficulties, and organize activities to enrich residents’ cultural and spiritual lives. With each new effort, they move steadily toward their goal and help Yunzhou set sail for a brighter future. 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 After Divorcing, I Ride on My Ex-Wife's Family's Coattails to the Top 离婚后，踩着前妻全家青云直上 Song Qiushi runs a gym. For ten years, he has worked hard to support his family, loved his wife, and spoiled his daughter. It hasn’t been easy, but he has never resented it. He believes that as long as he keeps his head down, takes good care of his wife, raises his child well, and looks after the family, he will have a perfect marriage. But every one of his dreams shatters when his wife brings a strange man home. He can put up with anything else, but not this. Divorce... His father-in-law uses h 153Reads—Score—Shelves
- 12 The Road to Power, Starting as a Deputy Town Mayor 通天官路，从副镇长开始 60Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 13 The Pinnacle of Power: After Breaking Up with My Girlfriend, I Soared to Success 权势巅峰：和女朋友分手后扶摇直上 Betrayed by his girlfriend, with his patron's career hanging by a thread, Lu Xiaoyang, a secretary in the municipal government, suffered a double blow to his love life and political career. Disillusioned, he planned to leave politics for good. But the arrival of one woman completely changed his fate, helping him soar up the political ladder and reach the top of the provincial government compound. 671Reads—Score110Shelves
- 14 Reborn: The Summit of the Azure Clouds 重生：青云之巅 Shen Nan is reborn before being falsely accused of stealing the secretary's speech draft. A lifetime of hard work, all for nothing. Shen Nan spent half his life striving, only to be framed by his colleagues, separated from friends and family, and have his ideals crushed by reality. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the year he first entered public service as a young man. The rivals who once ruined him were still lying in wait, and he still had the opportunities he'd missed before 8.6kReads7.8Score704Shelves
- 15 Reborn: Notes from the New Officialdom 重生之新官场笔记 A friendly warning: readers who like mindless power fantasies can move along. You won't be able to get through this book! The officialdom has never been a place where you can charge in on sheer passion, and power is no game of settling scores on a whim. Authority and high office are never won through sheer courage alone. Only by knowing how to weigh your options can you hold fast to the limits of when to advance and when to retreat. 1.1kReads8.1Score108Shelves
- 16 The Rise and Fall of Officialdom: Starting with the Crackdown on Organized Crime 宦海浮沉：从扫除黑恶开始 Everyday urban life + Career in government + Poverty alleviation + Anti-gang operations + Anti-corruption Night falls in Bingcheng, and the city lights flicker to life. Three poverty-alleviation secretaries have died in the line of duty in quick succession, pushing the meeting's atmosphere to a breaking point. All the burden now rests on Yan Qing, a demobilized military officer. As the newly appointed secretary stationed in the village, can he uncover the truth? Or, more precisely, will he live 7.2kReads8.8Score714Shelves
- 17 Officialdom: Special Inspector 官场：巡视特使 Is the standard male lead in an officialdom novel a wealthy family's lost heir who gets cheated on from the start? With an official transfer order, Xu Juyi, a decorated national hero returning from abroad, is recommended by his mentor Zhong Baoguo, known as Elder Zhong, whose daughter is Zhong Xia'ai and son-in-law is Hou Liangping. He officially takes personal authority over inspections and disciplinary investigations, stepping into the turbulent chess game of officialdom. Even a commoner can w 24.5kReads8.1Score2.3kShelves
- 18 The Transferred Soldier King Marries in a Flash During College 转业兵王大学期间闪电结婚 Bai Yitu never expected that after returning to campus, he would be drawn by some mysterious force into one maelstrom after another. To pay for his father's medical treatment, he gave up his first chance at marriage. Then he unexpectedly uncovered the truth behind a college classmate's car accident. The shocking collusion between officials and businesspeople for illicit profits pushed him, against his will, to change everything. From passing the civil service exam for a provincial department to 47Reads—Score—Shelves
- 19 The King of Soldiers Enters Politics and Breaks the Deadlock with Force 兵王转业之官场以力破局 This novel has been adapted into an audiobook. Once he enters the political arena, he thrives. With brothers at his side, resources brought together, and strength to break through any impasse! Lin Zhenyu, a Dragon Fang special forces soldier codenamed Ghost King, is reborn. To save his critically ill grandfather, he has no choice but to leave the military and enter politics! A man of unwavering integrity, Lin Zhenyu vows to work for the welfare of 5.4kReads8.2Score434Shelves
- 20 The Pinnacle of Power: A Rising Career in Government 权利巅峰：官场之青云仕途 One day, he was implicated in a scandal and demoted from the county committee to a remote border town. Former colleagues turned a cold shoulder, his girlfriend abandoned him, and his future was in ruins. No one knew that, at the lowest point of his life, he would meet a blue-robed old Taoist in the streets and receive guidance from a master. From then on, he would break deadlocks with strategy and navigate the political arena with intelligence, using his deep cunning and far-reaching vision to 12.8kReads7.6Score1kShelves
- 21 Destined to Be a Secretary 命中注定是秘书 This is a realistic political drama set in the world of government, told from the perspective of a leader’s secretary. It offers a look at the changing currents of officialdom and the many sides of life. Hu Tianyou starts out as the secretary to a county Party committee secretary, rising from a junior secretary to a senior one as he faces countless twists and turns in his career. The story offers both eye-opening political wisdom and a rich emotional journey for its hero and heroine, making it w 321Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 22 Tales of Officialdom in Jinlin 晋林官宦风云录 Amid the political turmoil of Jinlin County, a small fifth-tier city, County Party Secretary Peng Shusheng was once a pioneer of reform, but died on the eve of his promotion. His secretary, Lu Suiyuan, had been his right-hand man. He resolutely gave up the chance to transfer to the provincial capital and remained in this challenging city. As he carries forward Secretary Peng’s unfinished work, Lu Suiyuan must not only face the countless traps laid by local interest groups, but also resist the co 75Reads—Score—Shelves
- 23 Reborn, I Rise to the Clouds as a Selected Cadre 重生后我以选调生身份平步青云 Liu Huaimin, a fifty-eight-year-old grassroots public servant, spent twenty-seven years in his post before reaching the end of his life with a heart full of regret. In his previous life, an unjust case tied to an engineering project brought tremendous hardship upon his family. His loved ones suffered one misfortune after another, leaving him with a lifelong burden he could never put aside. As he lay dying, he opened his eyes once more, only to find himself back in the dormitory at Beichen Univer 663Reads—Score103Shelves
- 24 Pinnacle of Power: Reborn with Cheats, I Outwit Heaven 权力之巅：重生开挂的我胜天半子 He took a perfect start and turned it into a complete disaster. He worked himself to the bone all his life, yet accomplished nothing. Reborn in 1999, Wang Linhai returns to the most important turning point in his life. This time, he has to seize every chance to get ahead, keep pace with the times, fulfill the dream he never achieved in his previous life, and do something worthwhile for ordinary people! 581Reads7.6Score—Shelves
- 25 The Road to Officialdom: Starting at the Grassroots 官道：从基层做起 [Officialdom + Power + Romance + Workplace] Once you figure out how the system works, it’s like activating a cheat code. It’s an exciting ride from the start. This realistic novel about officialdom follows Lin Yaodong’s step-by-step rise from the grassroots to the heights of power. 34Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 Xiaohefeng’s First Book 小荷风的第1本书 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 993Reads6.8Score—Shelves
- 27 The Official's Path: Drawing the Blade 官途之利刃出鞘 The county magistrate vanishes mysteriously at a disaster relief site. Was it suicide, or murder? A secretary who graduated from the police academy is suppressed and banished. While sorting through the magistrate’s belongings, he discovers clues and follows his burning sense of justice to expose the dirty dealings behind the scenes. Using his wits alone, he captures criminal gangs and pursues corrupt officials across a thousand miles... Wise, sharp, decisive, and incorruptible, he wins the favor 36.4kReads8.9Score2.4kShelves
- 28 The Pinnacle of Power: Breaking the Deadlock in Yuanshan Town 权力巅峰：从远山镇破局开始 What backing could a nobody possibly have? When he's driven into a corner, that's the strongest backing of all! His bright future is stolen from him, his former lover turns her back on him, and just as his political career begins in Yuanshan Town, he falls into one trap after another laid by petty schemers. Everyone thinks he'll sink without a trace, never realizing that desperation is his greatest trump card. Caught in the turmoil of local politics, Wang Hao keeps his strength hidden and plays 350Reads6.1Score147Shelves
- 29 The Endless Road of Officialdom 官场无涯 A vast land stretching ten thousand miles belongs to the one who rules! Keep a low profile as a person, but make a bold impression through your work! A son of a farming family? A grandson of an established clan? Who says the path to office has no great men or heroes? Watch as Zhang Zetao, armed with a special System, cuts through obstacles and overcomes dangers to forge a unique path of his own. 26Reads8.9Score—Shelves
- 30 Officialdom: The Road to Triumph Against All Odds 官场：披荆斩棘之路 [Political intrigue + no System + no rebirth] A career in officialdom is a thorny road, and countless people strive to get ahead on it. As the saying goes, doing a good job matters less than being born into the right family. For an ordinary person with no connections to make their way through the thorns, the only option is to seize every opportunity. Chen Feng is one of those who knows how to seize an opportunity. He cuts his way through the obstacles and keeps moving forward… 364Reads6.8Score102Shelves
- 31 A Career Blessed by Fortune: A County Magistrate's Rise to Power 官运滔天：知县逆袭，权倾朝野 [Not a power fantasy! A complex tale of court intrigue and political struggle, grounded in historical research!] Li Shu, a modern-day civil service exam candidate who failed to pass, unexpectedly transmigrates to the first year of the Qianlong reign and becomes a newly appointed jinshi. Starting out as a poor county magistrate in Hengyang, he investigates the shortfall in the ever-normal granaries, exposes the dark secrets of the grain transport trade, and takes on salt smugglers in league with 28Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 A New Take on Political Fiction: A College Graduate's Road into Government 新版官场文：大学毕业生从政路 By a twist of fate, Liu Bai becomes a township civil servant after graduating from college. For a poor nobody like him, landing a civil-service job is already something to celebrate. He had hoped to keep his head down and do an ordinary job without competing with anyone, but he encounters one unfair situation after another. And the more he faces, the further he climbs, until he reaches the very pinnacle of power! 224Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 A Book by Jiuxiaohonghu jiuxiaohonghu的一本书 Just before his promotion, his boss gets into trouble and his wife cheats on him. Ouyang Zhiyuan’s life takes a devastating turn, leaving his future shrouded in darkness. Just as he despairs, the arrival of his ex-girlfriend unexpectedly brings a ray of hope, and his fortunes begin to rebound… 945Reads7.9Score156Shelves
- 34 Upright and Righteous, I Stand Between Heaven and Earth 一身正气立天地 On the chessboard of power, the word “official” is like a subtle game piece, its two mouths concealing endless wisdom and mystery. One mouth represents the art of speech: an official must be eloquent, choosing every word with care and using wisdom to guide public opinion. The other represents the art of socializing, building connections over food and drink. But remember, never cross the line or take a single cent of the people's hard-earned money. These meals are not merely a matter of culture, —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 35 Officialdom: The Puppet Wife 官场：提线夫人 Power is the finest puppeteer, and marriage its sharpest strings. Every gift comes with a price quietly attached. When the elegant puppeteer slid the divorce papers in front of Li Mo, he realized he was already standing on the edge of a cliff. 14.1kReads8.8Score1.7kShelves
- 36 The Road to Success 青云之路 After graduating from college, Li Qingyun parts ways with his girlfriend, who comes from a powerful family, and passes the civil service exam in his hometown. He is determined to serve the people. But once he enters the workplace, he discovers that it's a world of undercurrents and intrigue. Getting ahead in this line of work is no easy feat. Li Qingyun stays true to himself and never forgets the vow he once made. In the end, he carves out a path to success of his own. 6.2kReads8.4Score538Shelves
- 37 A Path to Office from Humble Beginnings 寒门仕途 A passionate young man from a humble family, bold and fearless. Reform means reshaping the existing distribution of interests, and is often accompanied by conflict and sacrifice. After graduating from university, Lin Fangzheng starts with a tourism development project in Shantang Village. Navigating a harsh and complicated web of competing interests, he treads carefully along a righteous path fraught with danger… 175Reads9.1Score—Shelves
- 38 Reaching the Summit: From Entry-Level Clerk to the Pinnacle of Power 问鼎：从基层科员到权力巅峰 Liang Zhiyuan, a low-ranking government clerk, happens to rescue a mysterious person from drowning, unaware that she is Chen Hailing, the new leader parachuted in from above. Together, they uncover the tangled web of underground dealings in Shiyi County. When the illicit trade comes to light, armed with the favor of the county Party secretary, he navigates the factions around him and fights his way from a sleepy government office into the vortex of power. 904Reads7.8Score207Shelves
- 39 Officialdom: Burning 官场：燃烧 Under the sky screen, everyone fights to get into the game, risking life and death and willingly becoming a pawn. A nobody takes on a giant, with no connections to rely on and nothing but his own shadow behind him. I’m the youngest section-level official in the country, and I’m still an intern. I throw my chest open and laugh at the sky, my blood burning in the flames. Even if I’m left with only half my life, I’ll still challenge Heaven for supremacy! The mountains stand evergreen, the great riv 14Reads—Score—Shelves
- 40 Officialdom’s Disciple: After Coming Clean, I Rose Straight to the Top! 官徒，摊牌后我青云直上！ He came top in the exams, only to have someone take his place. With no connections or backing, Lin Bei is left heartbroken when his wife betrays him. He marries into the Su family and endures three years of humiliation. Then an accident sends him soaring to success! The Su family regrets everything when they see what he’s achieved! Through the twists and turns of officialdom, he finally rises to the top! 12.1kReads8.1Score1.4kShelves
- 41 The Road Through Officialdom Begins with Being Reborn 官场征途，从重生开始 For love, Chu Haoran chose to become a live-in son-in-law, only to end up behind bars. The day before his release, he was attacked. Given a second chance at life, Chu Haoran chooses to enter politics... 6.5kReads6.5Score494Shelves
- 42 Tides of Officialdom (Officialdom's Ups and Downs) 宦海之浮沉（宦海官途） After dating for two years, his girlfriend eventually married someone else. His honest, unassuming father was suddenly taken away by the procuratorate. Just as Xu Guohua was at his wit’s end, another blow awaited him: a notice of suspension… 8.8kReads8.8Score988Shelves
- 43 Justice of Heaven’s Way 天道正义 The Way of Heaven and Justice trilogy is a political-philosophical epic that probes the nature of power. Through the trials of grassroots official Chu Feng, it embarks on a profound search for the “Way of Heaven” and reflects the sweeping changes in China's officialdom. Is there a higher justice beyond the rules? In A Gentle Breeze, characters find a way through the mire of a society governed by personal connections, exploring the balance of the Way of Heaven between “law” and “human feeling.” I 47Reads8.7Score—Shelves
- 44 Promotion 提拔 “Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to their stations?” Chen Sheng's cry was also the spark in the heart of our protagonist, who came from a family of poor peasants three generations deep. He was once an obscure chauffeur, but his diligence and concern for ordinary people caught the eye of a perceptive female leader. He advanced carefully, making his way through an elite workplace and enduring trial after trial. He got along with people from every side, yet never lost sight of his p 36.1kReads8.3Score3.1kShelves
- 45 Reborn, I Choose to Get a Stable Job and Strive 重生后我选择上岸拼搏 Reborn, make money, get into government. Change the things you can’t stand, like introducing policies to protect consumers in the new-energy vehicle industry and abolishing the presale system for real estate. With powerful figures backing him, he is reborn in 2002 and starts making money, laying out the perfect plan. He earns his doctorate in 2007 at the age of 21, then passes the civil service selection exam and enters politics. In 2008, he becomes a deputy department-level official. In 2009, a 772Reads6.2Score—Shelves
- 46 A Romantic Career in Officialdom 浪漫仕途 After graduating with a master’s degree, Leng Yu took the civil service exam and landed a post in a poor mountain region, determined to do more good for the people and deliver real results. But while his ideals were lofty, reality dealt him a face-slapping blow. Facing pressure from all sides, he stubbornly fought his way forward and gradually came to understand that to accomplish great things, he would first have to become a high-ranking official. 125Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 47 The Road to Light: An Agricultural Graduate Selected for County Government 光明之路：县委大院的农学选调生 Lin Gengye, a master’s graduate in agricultural science, joins the troubled Guangming County as a government trainee, facing accusations that he is a “second-generation official” and only there to pad his resume. He uses technology to transform barren land and applies stock-market strategies to run sustainable agriculture, silencing his critics and increasing the income of poor households. He builds his path to promotion through hard work and answers every doubt with a bountiful harvest. See how 159Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 48 The Road Through Officialdom 宦路 The character for “official” has two mouths: if they say you're capable, then you're capable; if they say you're not, then you're not! The political arena is full of deceit and scheming, and one wrong step can leave you shattered. Zhou Yang knows this all too well. With no powerful backers, no connections, and no money, how can he survive? He has no choice but to keep going. He works hard and fights on, rising step by step to a position of power... 8.2kReads9.0Score850Shelves
- 49 Officialdom: I Became a Powerful Figure’s Most Trusted Aide 官场：我成了大佬的铁杆心腹 Su Jin was reborn at the moment he started his career in government in 2013. From the start, he was at the civil service provincial exam interview. Sorry, interviewers, but to take first place, I’m going to quietly set a little trap and get you all to back me… 903Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 50 To the Peak of the Azure Clouds, Starting with My Ex-Girlfriend 青云之巅，从前女友开始 Now that you’ve been reborn, do you still have to be timid and submissive? Gu Yang will tell you: life is precious, so why not live it a little more freely... Good and evil in human nature are all here. See the story for a look at the twists and turns of officialdom. 1.4kReads7.4Score141Shelves
