Great Seal of the Imperial Court

Author: Yang Jianqiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This is a long novel reflecting the reforms in contemporary urban and rural areas. Young cadre Yang Zi is sent from Beijing to the Jiangnan Wuzhou City for training. Due to his outstanding performance and special family background, he is retained in Wuzhou City to serve as the mayor. However, because his identification documents are identical to those of Song Yiping (mayor of Yunlong County), Wang Yutian (secretary of the CPC Yunlong County Committee), and Kang Baichang (secretary of the CPC Wuzhou City Committee), he becomes involved in a series of conflicts with them. While fully supporting the reforms in Yunlong County, Yang Zi finds himself unable to realize his grand political ambitions in Wuzhou City. His dissatisfaction and disappointment with his wife Lin Feng, as well as his ambiguous feelings and guilt toward his close female friend Shen Yingying, ultimately lead him to resolutely choose divorce and resignation. The novel addresses the reforms in a timely manner, revealing the unprecedented conflicts, resistance, and entrenched habits encountered in the reform process, as well as the hope it holds. It is a political essay-style novel, distinct from the popular officialdom novels of today that focus on exposing the dark side of society. The story weaves a dramatic and thrilling tale of officialdom centered around the inevitable conflicts between Yang Zi and Secretary Kang. The characters are vividly portrayed: Yang Zi's grand ambitions and decisive, astute nature; Secretary Kang's experienced, perceptive, and smooth, worldly-wise demeanor; and A Miao's ambitious, treacherous, and arrogant character—all leave a deep impression.