Small official's livelihood

Author: Liang Ge
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: The novel portrays the bustling urban life of a group of minor officials who seek power and indulge in pleasure with highly personalized language. It successfully creates the character of the protagonist, Wu Menghen, who is neither bold in corruption nor refuses small gifts; who wants to be a good person but often finds it difficult to do so; who aspires to rise in rank and uphold justice but fears losing his reputation; and who considers himself a "rarely corrupt official among corrupt officials." The character embodies the words "fake," "stability," and "caution," prioritizing these qualities. This multifaceted image makes us vividly feel as if we are witnessing a life-and-death struggle between justice and evil, integrity and corruption, and honesty and hypocrisy.