Novels like Officialdom: Swimming Against the Tide
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Officialdom: Swimming Against the Tide, best match first.
- 101 Ripples in the Sea of Officialdom: Reborn on the Road to Power 宦海微澜：重生仕途路 Lin Yanzhou died. He died on the front line of flood control, swept away by the breach in the Huai River embankment, on the levee he had guarded for twenty years. His forty-eight years of life had been painfully meek. No connections, no backers, no resources. He was afraid to accept invitations, in case he couldn't afford to return the favor. He was afraid to accept gifts, in case he got in trouble and dragged his wife and children down with him. After twenty years, he was still only a deputy 64Reads—Score—14d adds
- 102 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—14d adds
- 103 Making It in the World of Officialdom 混出个官样 Man, pain turns to hate, and hate turns to ruthlessness. When you fear nothing, the world will clear a path for you! Ten years as a hidden dragon, trapped in the abyss. Then, in a single day, he rides the wind straight to the heavens. Dawn has come, and the world is in his grasp. His might sweeps across mountains and rivers. No one can stop him. If not now, then when? 27.5kReads9.0Score2.1k14d adds
- 104 Reborn: I've Long Since Mastered the Ways of Officialdom 重生：在官场，我早已人情练达 Chen Qingdong had been crushed in the political arena for his youthful idealism, and had grown so despairing that he had given up on life. Then, by chance, he returned to the past and got the chance to rewrite his life! This time, Chen Qingdong knew how to navigate the ways of the world, and swore to reclaim the dignity he had lost in his previous life. From then on, he advanced one step at a time, seizing every opportunity and forging a legendary rise through the treacherous ups and downs of th 1.8kReads6.3Score13214d adds
- 105 Weng Xiaoge’s 12th Book 翁小哥的书第12本书 After choking to death on a rice cake, the heroine was reborn and took up the post of Party secretary, governing a region and bringing prosperity to its people. The ladder of officialdom has ten rungs, each one a new height. She can play the game of officialdom however she likes. Fearing no hostile forces, she draws on the experience and abilities she gained in her previous life. This time, she refuses to bow to fate. She challenges Heaven and refuses to believe in destiny. Using herself as a bl —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 106 Officialdom: Starting Out as a Township Party Secretary 官场：从乡镇书记开始 This book is also titled The Long Road Home. The main text is a continuation of the bonus chapters for Part One, Reborn: The Red Officialdom. Part One had a limit on how many bonus chapters could be published, so the rest are included in this book. Please take note. 17Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 107 Officialdom: The People Trust Me, So Even in Death, I Have No Regrets! 官场：百姓信我，我死亦道哉！ There is no golden finger, no hilarious power fantasy, and no one who has transmigrated. This book will slowly push its male lead into the anguish of officialdom, all the way to his death. Yuan Tong repeatedly finds himself trapped in deadly predicaments. Death seems like an everyday nuisance at his side, but he cannot forget the people's high hopes for him. Integrity is a crime. Serving the people is a sin. Yuan Tong, born to a poor family, is caught in the middle of it all. He watches those wh —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 The Pinnacle of Power: Saving a City Leader in the Night 权力巅峰：从夜救市领导开始 (This book has multiple female leads, no cheating or NTR, and plenty of feel-good moments.) First sword after being reborn: cut down the one you love! In his previous life, Gao Ran was a low-ranking official who was meek, obedient, and above reproach. And yet he was dumped, bullied, and exiled. In the end, worn down by hardship and sorrow, his hair frosted white, he climbed the stage alone, sick and old. He died depressed and far from home. In this life, he will live differently and take another 5.3kReads7.3Score42414d adds
- 109 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
- 110 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
- 111 Book 3 by Yu Bi Shutong 于彼疏桐的第3本书 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Beneath the Eaves of Power 权利屋檐下 [No mindless wish fulfillment + Power and prestige in the government system + Office politics and social maneuvering + Career advancement + Deals + Dark themes + Unexpected twists] This is a profound novel that goes beyond the power struggles of officialdom. It cuts into the inner workings of the system and shows you: The corruption of power: how Wen Jiaguo, a heroic pilot, is consumed by betrayal and ambition, transforming into a predator who manipulates the rules. A silent rebellion: how We 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 113 Reborn: From Breakup to the Top 重生：从分手到巅峰 Reborn in a parallel world, he transmigrates into the body of a man named Qin Yi. From the start, he is a low-level employee, and because of his job, his girlfriend dumps him on the spot. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 The Road to Power: A Royal Flush from the Grassroots Up 权路锋行：基层开局即王炸 While others fight tooth and nail to get into provincial government offices, Peking University graduate Lin Chen throws himself into Lingshan Town, the poorest, most chaotic, and most rundown place in the entire province. This is hell mode from the start. No one believes in him, no one is willing to help him, and everyone is waiting to see him fail and leave. But Lin Chen refuses to give in. From a newcomer everyone looks down on to a deputy section-level deputy director promoted ahead of sched —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 The Provincial Party Compound: In the Name of the Queen of Spades 省委大院，黑桃皇的名义 Political schemes and power plays, civil war erupting on all sides, and clashes between powerful figures leaving countless dead and wounded. A spectacular anti-corruption campaign unfolds in Longxi Province. The protagonist, Weng Qingyun, starts out in a high-ranking position and enters a life-and-death struggle with Professor Meng Dehu, who just can't help snapping, “Look at you, getting worked up again.” This is more than a brilliant battle between two individuals. It's also a fierce clash bet —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 116 A Political Mastermind's Song of Prosperity 长盛高歌之政治高手 This is the story of Li Changsheng, a senior county-level official, and his rise to the top. He is skilled in calligraphy, feng shui, and antiques. Decisive and full of schemes, he is also charming, carefree, and bold. He sees through both the ugliness and goodness of society, and puts forward many new ideas and principles for good governance, public welfare, and social development. 780Reads6.7Score10414d adds
- 117 The True Face of Officialdom 官场本色 A new political drama is here! Welcome, everyone. I hope you enjoy my work. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 364Reads—Score—14d adds
- 118 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. 961Reads8.1Score10814d adds
- 119 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 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 120 From the Start, One Whistleblower's Letter Reforms the Entire Officialdom 开局一封举报信，整顿整个官场 After filing a real-name report against his superior, Chen Ming was kicked into the county archives with a transfer order. Everyone thought his career was over. But they had no idea that the old files nobody ever looked through contained the very things they were most afraid of bringing to light. You use a transfer order to push me around, and I use evidence to investigate you. From a section chief to the powerful backers protecting him at every level, this whistleblower letter is only the begin 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 121 Thirty Years of Political Ups and Downs 宦海沉浮三十年 A rural boy claws his way out of the countryside and into the world of politics, enduring relentless suppression in a grueling struggle to defy fate and change his life. After being tested in multiple workplaces and weathering the ups and downs of several relationships, he is repeatedly beaten down, only to turn the tables again and again. With no connections or backing, how far can he get in thirty years in politics? Is the problem the individual, or the system? A thought-provoking story. It al 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 Reborn: From Junior Clerk to the Very Top 重生：从小科员直达巅峰 (Rebirth + urban life + officialdom) Zhang Zhengyu, middle-aged and stuck in a rut, is involved in a car accident while hosting an official reception. When he wakes up, he has returned to 1995 and become a clerk at Linshui County’s Investment Promotion Bureau. Having achieved little in his previous life, he decides to seize this chance to make a name for himself, rise steadily through the ranks, and reach the pinnacle of power! 1.2kReads7.1Score—14d adds
- 123 Rivaling for Power in Officialdom, From Divorce to the Road to Success! 官场争锋，从离婚踏足青云路！ Born into poverty, Qi Guowei has spent years working his way up, yet he is still just a junior clerk at the public complaints office. Forced into an irregularity case, he faces questioning from the investigation team with no way to defend himself. At home, his wife is only pretending to get along with him. After failing in both love and career, he realizes that only by realizing his own worth can he thrive in life. In the political arena… he presses forward through every hardship, and at last re 19.8kReads8.2Score1.7k14d adds
- 124 Officialdom: After Putting Myself on the Line, I Rose to Success 官场，以身入局后我从此平步青云 She wields wisdom like a blade, cutting through the tangled interests beneath the surface and finding the best path through a game of shifting undercurrents. No opportunities fall from the sky; every step is carefully considered. No one reaches the top by chance; he keeps moving forward through every storm. In the end, he carves out a solid, dazzling path to success that belongs to him alone. 40Reads—Score—14d adds
- 125 A Rising Star in Politics: From the Grassroots to the Dragon's Gate 官场红人：从基层开始，鲤越龙门 After an accident, Tang Yi went overnight from an invisible office worker to the heart of a power struggle. In this trap-filled arena of fame and fortune, he must choose between conscience and ambition: expose the truth or cozy up to the powerful? A gripping battle for political advancement begins! 193Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 126 The Future of Officialdom: Revitalizing Northeast China with AI 未来官场：我靠人工智能振兴东北 Beginning in 2026, over the course of a forty-year career in public service, Li Shu, an ordinary man, sparks a technological revolution and reshapes the Northeast with intelligence and innovation. This is the story of an ordinary young man who goes from choosing to lie flat to standing tall, and an enduring hymn to the times, responsibility, and ideals. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 127 The Road to Officialdom: I Rebuild and Reign Supreme 官路鸿途：重整旗鼓我为王 A career in government is like Mount Everest: so high that the air is thin! It is also like a ladder reaching to the heavens, seemingly impossible to climb! And yet countless people continue to press forward, one after another! Qin Junyu was just an insignificant member of this vast crowd of climbers. One drunken night gave Qin Junyu more than twenty years of memories out of nowhere. In those memories, Qin Junyu, once a force to be reckoned with in the business world, had been defeated by politi 2.5kReads7.4Score18514d adds
- 128 Envoy of Stardust 星尘遗使 Star-Dust Envoy 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 129 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
- 130 The Bitter and Sweet of Bureaucracy 机关的苦辣酸甜 This story follows Lu Zhenyu, a brilliant graduate of a prestigious university. After joining the government, he finds that he cannot shake his scholarly nature. As he struggles with the clash between ideals and reality, see how he experiences the bitter and sweet sides of life in the bureaucracy. 25Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 131 A Splendid Rise: Starting as a Seconded Secretary 锦绣青云：从借调秘书开始 A junior secretary is swept into a grand game of power. With his pen as his ladder and his heart as his compass, he navigates the whirlpool of power and emotion, step by careful step, until he rises from a temporary posting onto the path to success that is his alone. 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 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. 100Reads—Score—14d adds
- 133 You Asked Me to Sign Off on the Final Accounts, So Why Did I Arrest the Richest Man? 决算让你签字，你把首富抓了？ “Xiuran, the province is pushing hard on the Linjiang Bridge project. Take a look at the final accounts report, and sign it if everything checks out.” Wang Changlin, director of the investment office, handed him a Parker pen. The meeting room was toasty from the heating, the curtains were drawn tight, and the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. Sitting beside him was Zhao Jinbiao, chairman of the Hongtai Road and Bridge Group. A jade bracelet peeked from his suit sleeve, and with a casual move —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 From the Start, I Got Dumped on a Blind Date, and Rose to the Top from Then On 开局相亲被分手我从此青云之上 [No Golden Finger] [No Transmigration] [Single Heroine] [A Rise from the Grassroots] Wang Li fails his college entrance exams, and his father arranges for him to attend a police vocational program. Three years after graduating, he still hasn’t been promoted. Then he gets an opportunity. From then on, he rises rapidly through the ranks. His blind date gets dumped, and Wang Li turns around to become her boss. This is a fictional work set in an imagined world. All people, place names, and events in 46kReads8.3Score3.2k14d adds
- 135 My Road to Department Head: A Country Kid’s Comeback 我的厅长之路：农村娃的逆袭 A country boy passes the civil service exam in another province and works his way up from a township to the county seat and then the provincial capital, rising from a junior clerk to department head. This is a story of turning his life around, with all the hardships and bitterness along the way. Perhaps it will offer something for many readers to learn from. 34Reads—Score—14d adds
- 136 The Move That Breaks the Deadlock 破局之举 Chen Zimo's rise from the grassroots to the inner circle takes an unusual path. While others chase undercurrents, he devotes himself to studying the most transparent and solid system of rules, and finds in it a “cloud staircase” of his own. It is both his methodology and his shield. See how a wise man uses rules as steps and wisdom as his guide, climbing ever higher through a world of shifting tides and hidden currents. 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 137 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 49Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 138 Part One 局部一 The protagonist, Hu Weimin, navigates the ups and downs of officialdom while staying clearheaded, resisting all kinds of temptation, and holding fast to his principles. The everyday settings make the characters feel as if they’re right there beside you, perhaps even people just like yourself. 1.1kReads6.8Score10814d adds
- 139 In the Political Arena, Fighting Corruption Is for the People 官场之反腐是为了人民 From the officials’ roster corruption case in Xiling Province to the corn and vegetable project in Qiangui Province, a series of corruption cases harmed the interests of the people. As a discipline inspection official, Zhong Xiaohua handles each case meticulously and calmly, steadily increasing his authority while always protecting the people’s interests from harm. He makes serving the people his foremost duty. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 The Traffic Bureau Chief 交通局长 Lin Zhongquan was an ordinary employee in a road maintenance section. Following his father’s wishes, he was determined to climb the ranks. On his father’s repeated advice, he married the former mayor’s daughter and managed to get in good with Huang Dingli, the head of the Pingchang Municipal Transportation Bureau. During a construction tender, Huang Dingli and Lin Zhongquan got to know contractor He Rubin and the stunningly beautiful public relations agent Miaomiao. They helped He Rubin win the 93Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 141 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. 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 Just Dumped, I Turn Around and Pass the Civil Service Exam to Work in Her Hometown 刚被分手，转身选调上岸去她老家 A new work is out! You can read my stories on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy them. Your support is what keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 16.3kReads7.7Score1.4k14d adds
- 143 A Life in Officialdom: The Stories of Women in Politics 人在仕途：官场女人那些事儿 (Realistic political workplace + case-based stories + no harem) It’s hard to be a person, harder to be a woman, and harder still to be a woman in politics. But women in politics have their own rules for survival. Drawing on my 17 years navigating the political world, with firsthand experience across township, county, municipal, and provincial offices, I’ll show you what a woman in politics is really like! 16Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 144 Climbing the Official Ladder: Starting as My Ex-Girlfriend's Boss 仕途升迁：从成为前女友上司开始 After graduating from graduate school, Wang Cheng passed the provincial government’s selected graduate recruitment exam and reported to his new post in a township, only to discover that he had become his ex-girlfriend’s direct supervisor… 778Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 The Storm in Officialdom: A Start at the Provincial Government 官场风云，从省政府开局 Tan Wen transmigrates back to 1992. Thinking of all the opportunities he missed in his previous life because he didn’t understand the rules of officialdom, he vows that this time, reborn, he’ll make his way through the political world and rise swiftly through the ranks. He’ll also seize the opportunities brought by reform and opening up to make his fortune the right way. 25Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 146 The Road to Officialdom: I’m No Broker 官途：我不是掮客 A broker: what is a broker? As the name suggests, a broker uses their connections to help others make a profit, or uses their network to get things done for them. That is what a broker does. There are many kinds of brokers, including business brokers, political brokers, relationship brokers, and many others. The most powerful of them are political brokers. Politics, politics: once anything is tied to politics, it is never going to be simple. Political brokers in particular need exceptional intel 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 The All-Powerful Soldier King in the Political Arena 全能兵王混官场 1.7kReads8.2Score21714d adds
- 148 The Story of Pi Tonglin 皮童林的故事 Pi Tonglin was born into an ordinary family and entered public service. Through many ups and downs, he gradually grew from an inexperienced novice into a principled, capable leader who could stand on his own. 97Reads—Score—14d adds
- 149 A Most Unusual Path to Power 非常权途 As the driver for a beautiful female executive, Zhou Tianyu was under enormous pressure. After helping his boss with a small favor, he earned her appreciation and quickly went from being a mere chauffeur to holding a leadership position. But this was only the beginning… 2.2kReads8.8Score23114d adds
- 150 Absolute Power: Rising from the Grassroots 绝对权力：从基层逆袭 After Fang Yu’s superior was placed under investigation, the hotshot director of the township Party and Government Office was caught in the fallout. Not only did the deputy section chief position he was about to get slip away, but his current job was also in jeopardy. His colleagues kept their distance, while his rivals kicked him when he was down. Everyone thought Fang Yu would be buried for good. Then the tide turned. With a powerful patron’s support, he rose to prominence once more! He create 487Reads7.4Score10814d adds
