Novels like The Cold and Warmth of the Halls of Power
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Cold and Warmth of the Halls of Power, best match first.
- 1 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 23.7kReads8.5Score2.1k14d adds
- 2 Battle of the Heart 心争 Just before graduating, university student Cui Dongshan gets dumped by his girlfriend. His parents have already arranged a better career path for him, but he no longer has any desire to compete for one. Going against his family’s wishes, he becomes a village official in Yaxi Village. As he learns from life in the countryside, he also meets Li Xi. He wants to do practical work with both feet on the ground and climb the ranks one step at a time. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 The Road to Power Begins with Taking the Fall 权利巅峰从背锅侠开始 In 2025, Lu Chenzhou closed his eyes in despair. His career was in ruins, and his family had been destroyed. When he opened them again, time had turned back. He was in the conference room in 2003, at the meeting that would decide his fate. “Lu Chenzhou, you have to take full responsibility for this mess!” Zhao Tiankuo's sharp accusation was exactly the same as in his previous life. In his past life, he had bowed his head and admitted his guilt, and from then on had plunged into the abyss. This t 7Reads—Score—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 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. 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 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. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Official’s Road: From Grassroots to the Summit 官路风云从基层到巅峰 Lin Yuan picked up the old suitcase that had been with him for four years. Its wheels clattered over the gravel road, the sound especially grating in the quiet mountain dusk. “Hey, young man, where are you headed?” The man squatting at the end stood up, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth. He was in his forties, with a scar running from the corner of his left eye down to his chin. “To report to the town government.” Lin Yuan tried to keep his voice steady. The men exchanged glances, then burst 395Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 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 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 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? 219Reads6.1Score10814d adds
- 10 Fast-Track Promotion 2: The Suspended Fish 火线提拔2悬鱼 (A pure political drama, with no System and no transmigration.) Ten years of ice water cannot extinguish a heart burning with passion! Born into poverty, Xia Xiang cares deeply for the people. Not long after taking office in Shazhou, he is confronted with a demolition crisis in Xihua District. As he investigates, Xia Xiang discovers that a vast abyss lies hidden behind the incident... Years later, people would say, "The skies stretch blue, the wilds stretch wide; Shazhou has its own red sun!" 16.1kReads8.9Score50714d adds
- 11 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. 711Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 12 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
- 13 The Miracle Doctor's Rise to Power 仕途神医 Chen Xuan, an intern, was framed by a colleague and was about to be sent to prison. No one could have imagined that a few silver needles he used by the elevator would pull a powerful second-generation heiress back from the brink of death. He has inherited a lifetime of medical knowledge and possesses eyes that can see a person's political fortunes and hidden illnesses. Starting at the very bottom, he steps into the arena of power, advancing cautiously at every turn. Some try to crush him with th 267Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 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. 45Reads—Score10414d adds
- 15 A Modern-Era People’s Official 当代民吏 This is a modern novel about an ordinary person navigating a career in government. It does feature a “System,” but it isn’t a wish-fulfillment fantasy. It’s more like a guidebook to working within the system, with the “System” serving only as a voice-over that explains things. For ordinary readers, it offers a look at how people work and live within the system. For those already working within it, it offers a deeper understanding of how to conduct yourself and get things done. WTF? He gets hit b 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 Reborn in 1988: A Small-Town Cadre's Defiance of Fate 重生1988小镇干部的逆天改命 In his previous life, Lin Chen’s life plunged into darkness after he was framed. Reborn, he faces the impoverished countryside and undercurrents of officialdom once more. Watch him use his past-life experience to navigate policy and people’s hearts; See how he rises from a suppressed newcomer at the grassroots level to a ruthless force stirring the tide of reform, forging a path to wealth and success in officialdom in the 1980s! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 The Self-Cultivation of a Minor Bureaucrat 小官僚的自我修养 What exactly is the system in China? It seeps into every aspect of society and people's hearts, reaching every corner. It is ever-present, like a shadow. This book is a guide to surviving within the system, and can also serve as a case study to learn from. With penetrating thought, firsthand insight, and delicate prose, the author recreates the true story of an ordinary man growing into a minor bureaucrat. The petty rivalries, wine, women, wealth, and power of local officialdom; the humiliation 494Reads8.7Score11814d adds
- 18 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 26Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 19 The Winds of Power: Rising from Obscurity 权路风云之微末起青云 Tian Feng starts out as a young man from humble beginnings, working his way up from the grassroots. He puts down roots in his job, tackles the public’s problems with care, works diligently, and treats people with sincerity. Through his ability and sense of responsibility, he grows step by step, achieving remarkable results in an ordinary position. He builds his life through hard work and rises from humble beginnings. Follow this ordinary young man as he stays grounded, honors his original purpos 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 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
- 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. 199Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 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
- 23 The Pinnacle of Power: Reborn to Walk the Road to Success Again 权力巅峰：重生再踏青云路 In his previous life, he should have been a shining star, but a twist of fate sent him to a township, where he spent half his life getting nowhere. He was full of ambition, but had no chance to put it to use. Now, he has returned to his youth, and the crossroads of fate lies before him once more. This time, he will change the course of his life and refuse to waste his remaining years. Drawing on a lifetime of experience and a vision ahead of his time, he advances carefully through officialdom, s 32.6kReads8.0Score2.6k14d adds
- 24 The Road to Office: Rising to the Top 官途：扶摇直上 Zhao Hengyu, a political prodigy who graduated from Jingda University, enters the whirlpool of officialdom after lying low for years. He maneuvers among superiors who smile while concealing daggers and subordinates harboring hidden ambitions, walking the line between loyalty and political intrigue. Every celebratory toast conceals a scheme, and every heart-to-heart conversation is riddled with traps. In this perilous maze of officialdom, he abandons conventional methods and breaks through with a 1.5kReads7.0Score10114d adds
- 25 A Selected Graduate's Career in the Sea of Bureaucracy 选调生的宦海生涯 At the turn of the century, Lin Tao, a young man from a farming family, graduates from university at the top of the civil service selection exam and heads to remote Heqing County in Guinan Province. Full of idealism, he soon encounters the many challenges of working in the real world. With keen powers of observation and a remarkable ability to learn, Lin Tao finds his way through the mud and grows stronger through every struggle. A true-to-life political novel that recreates the work and struggl 149Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 26 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
- 27 From Odd Jobs to the Top of a Small Town 从打工开始走向小城巅峰 As long as you are kind and hardworking, Heaven will surely look favorably upon you. This book tells the inspiring story of Lin Feng, a laborer who endures a life full of twists and hardships, from being laid off by a state-owned enterprise and going out to find work to making a stunning comeback as a county Party secretary. It vividly portrays the many facets of life. 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 The Official’s Handbook 仕途宝典 With the support and guidance of mentors and friends, Qian Zhenxing quickly grows and matures, setting sail on a long voyage through the political arena! Read it and you'll come away with plenty to learn: the art of working overtime, understanding your superiors' intentions, joining a faction, and gaining power by stepping back... 66Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 From the Start, I'm in Charge of an Entire Region? 开局就让我执掌一方？ Written entirely by hand. As the First Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, he received an order transferring him to Handong. It also made him think again of the story of In the Name of the People. As a sharp blade in the hands of his superiors, he rose step by step from the grassroots. Handong University was where his dream first took flight, and also a place he had always tried to avoid getting involved in. In the end, he returned here after all. I’m no good at wr 355Reads—Score44614d adds
- 30 A Mayfly in the Mortal World 尘世一蜉蝣 "Humanity follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Way, and the Way follows nature." All beneath heaven bustle for profit; all beneath heaven hurry for profit. Heaven and earth give birth to all things, and all things have their own way. Defy the Way and you will surely be punished. Who has ever escaped the judgment of heaven? Qiao Yinuo, the son of a farming family, sets out on the path of politics in a daze after graduating from college, hoping to escape his shameful fam 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 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 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 A Book by Zhanfu 栈斧的一本书 Chen Yuanmin hit rock bottom, but he never gave up. Confident that life would span two hundred years, he vowed to ride the waves for three thousand miles. In the end, he reached the pinnacle of power. 49Reads6.4Score1214d adds
- 33 A Meteoric Rise in Officialdom 仕途青云直上 Young teacher Yu Qingyun is punished for some reason. Just as he thinks fate has dragged him to rock bottom, things quietly begin to change. Before long, Yu Qingyun's career in officialdom takes off, and he surges upward with one lucky break after another... 740Reads—Score12414d adds
- 34 A Financial Pro Starts with 20,000 Yuan: Reborn to Climb the Official Ranks 两万元开局金融奇才重生走官路 Cheng Bo returns to the day he graduated from university. How can he fight his way through the stock market? How can he climb to the top in officialdom? Self-interest! Curiosity! Empathy! Emotional entanglements! Or fate! This novel is adapted from real life. In this story, will you find yourself? 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Back to the 1990s: I Hold the Fate of the Political World in My Hands 重回90年代：我掌官场命脉 Su Xinghui is reborn more than twenty years in the past. Watch as he uses his talent, the knowledge he’s gained over those extra decades, and his emotional intelligence to reach the pinnacle of life and win the beauty of his dreams. 1.9kReads7.3Score17214d adds
- 36 The Road to Officialdom: From Humble Beginnings to Rising Step by Step 官途：从寒门崛起到步步高升 The rules of officialdom come down to three things: integrity, caution, and diligence. Lin Xiangdong always held fast to his commitment to honesty, handled matters prudently, and worked hard for the people. Never forgetting his original aspirations, he advanced step by step, rising ever higher. 83.6kReads8.8Score4.9k14d adds
- 37 Reborn into the Political World 官途重生 In the intensive care unit, the indicator lights on the various machines blinked in the darkness. Lu Beichen lay in bed, barely breathing. His stomach cancer was terminal and had spread throughout his body. There was no hope of a cure. “She waited for you for ten years,” the old man said at last. “From that rainy night in Qingping to this hospital room. Ten years.” The monitor let out a continuous beep. Lu Beichen’s consciousness slowly faded, and one final thought crossed his mind: If he coul 352Reads6.5Score11414d adds
- 38 Rising Through the Ranks, I'll Make My Ex-Wife Regret Everything 平步青云，我让前妻悔不当初 After a class reunion, Huang Weiwei's behavior grows increasingly strange. Her husband, Wang Chen, who serves as the presiding judge of a civil division at the court, senses that something is wrong. Anger and reason war in his mind... 866Reads8.4Score11914d adds
- 39 The Road to Office: Rising to the Top 官路之平步青云 [No System + Antagonists Stay Smart Throughout + Feel-Good Power Fantasy] The jianghu isn’t about fighting and killing. It’s about human relationships and worldly wisdom. Its intrigues and betrayals are even more perilous than the battlefield. One wrong step, and you’re doomed beyond redemption. Bu Qingyun was once the top soldier of the Tinnan Military Region, but secretly retired without telling his former commander. After retiring, he became Fang Xinyi’s driver. But less than half a month int 3.8kReads7.3Score37814d adds
- 40 Political Circles: The Road to Chasing Dreams 官场风云之逐梦征程 After graduating from a prestigious university, Li Shucheng chooses to return to the familiar land of his hometown. Determined to realize his ideals, he works hard to pass the civil service exam and join the County Party Committee Organization Department. Faced with the complicated rules and unseen challenges of officialdom, he sheds his youthful naivety as he struggles on the front lines. Guided always by his original aspirations, every step in his career reflects the convictions of a young man 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 The Wind Rises: The Deer Call 大风起兮：呦呦鹿鸣 The Scales Tip Left, the People Turn Right Also known as "The Political Arena: Don't Mess with the Village Secretary" Ordered to take up a village post at his engagement banquet, he plans to build roads and help the villagers escape poverty, only to get caught up in the undercurrents of the political arena. He dares to talk back to leaders, take on the well-connected, and tackle the toughest challenges. Decisive and ruthless, he rises from a lowly village secretary to the very heart of power. 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 The Abyss of Power: Reborn to Clear My Upright Father's Name! 权力深渊：重生为清廉老爸平反！ [Cunning Political Maneuvering + Serving the People at His Own Expense + Honest Governance + Breakneck Pacing + No Tragic Suffering for the Protagonist] In his previous life, his father was falsely accused. To prove his innocence, he chose to jump to his death. But no one expected that this would set off a butterfly effect, changing the fates of many people. Reborn in this life, he stops his father from jumping and retraces the path he took before. Those who belong in heaven will go to heaven, a 452Reads7.4Score10114d adds
- 43 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 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 The Road to Office and Commerce: My Wife and Child Are in a Parallel World 官路商途：妻儿却在平行时空 A lone wolf in the political arena, unstoppable on the official path: Zhang Ping, a minor county government clerk reborn, rises steadily through the ranks with his fragmentary memories of the future. He maneuvers across the political landscape and amasses tremendous power, yet remains utterly alone. When the timelines converge, he would rather give up his empire than seize back the life that belongs to him! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 Back to the 1990s: A Clash of Ambitions on the Road to Power 重返90之官路争锋 Zhu Zhen, a successful businessman, unexpectedly returned to the 1990s. Now middle-aged, he became a county magistrate. He thought he would finally be able to enjoy life, but soon discovered that he still had plenty of problems to deal with. Just as when he ran a company, he had to worry about the daily needs of a whole group of people, secure projects and oversee construction. Everything he did was for the county’s economic development, and he truly put the public interest above his own. As his 524Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 46 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
- 47 From the Countryside to the Seat of Power 从乡野到中枢 A college graduate serving as a village official steadily rises through the ranks... a true incorruptible official. He takes on corrupt officials in a battle of wits, moving from the countryside to the township, then from the township to the county seat. Each time, his outstanding record earns him another promotion. 124Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 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 130Reads8.8Score11914d adds
- 49 A Stunning Rise Through the Ranks 升迁：一鸣惊人 Facing obstacles at every turn in the workplace, he rises to the top and becomes unstoppable. Wei Yiming had been living a smooth and easy life, until his arrogant, short-tempered new boss ruined everything on her very first day. From then on, she picked on him at every turn and ordered him around constantly. One chance act of courage brought him face-to-face with the woman of his dreams, lighting up a life in which every step had been a struggle. After years of keeping his head down, he finally 1.9kReads8.4Score22314d adds
- 50 The Official's Path: Starting in a Women's Prison 官途：从女子监狱开始 (No harem, no formulaic plot, no invincibility, no System, no brainless protagonist, no wish fulfillment. Read with caution if these aren't for you.) A transfer order five years ago sent Lin Chuan to work as a prison guard in a women's prison. He thought it was the end of his political career, but it became the beginning of a power game. Under the prison's high walls, undercurrents swirled, forcing him to navigate the narrow space between inmates and the powerful. One day, the arrival of a myste 13.2kReads8.0Score1.2k14d adds
