Classical Chinese novel masterpiece Pu... Officialdom in Disguise (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Li Boyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: In April 1903, influenced by Liang Qichao's "Revolution in the World of Fiction," Li Boyuan wrote The Real Story of Officialdom, serialized in World Splendor Newspaper, which quickly captivated society and caused a sensation. It was a groundbreaking masterpiece that responded to the call of the times, critically examining the political climate. This is the first full-length novel in the history of Chinese fiction to comprehensively critique the bureaucratic system. Through a series of stories in its sixty chapters, Li Boyuan boldly and vividly exposed and satirized the corruption of the officialdom from multiple perspectives, angles, and levels. In Li Boyuan's eyes, the bureaucratic system was already beyond salvation, and the officialdom was a "world of beasts." At the end of the novel, Li Boyuan passionately cried out, "Save China," a call filled with tears and a thundering impact. Mr. Lu Xun praised The Real Story of Officialdom for its ability to "reveal hidden truths and expose their evils," but also criticized it for being "too revealing in tone and lacking subtlety, even exaggerating." However, regardless of the criticism, the historical value of The Real Story of Officialdom in exposing politics and critiquing reality is widely recognized, and its contribution to the history of late Qing fiction is irreplaceable.