Officialdom Unmasked (Illustrated Edition,)

Author: Li Baojia (Qing Dynasty), annotated by Zhang Youhe
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1957-06-01
Features: The Officialdom Unmasked, written by Li Baojia (1867—1906), is one of the earliest and most representative works in the genre of "satirical fiction" during the late Qing Dynasty. This novel vividly exposes the corruption within the ruling institutions during the collapse of feudal society. Lu Xun remarked, "The narrative revolves around stories of flattery, scheming, obfuscation, extortion, and infighting, as well as the passion of scholars for entering officialdom and the hidden affairs of officials' households. With its intricate plot and numerous characters, the story follows individuals from beginning to end, intermittently like Rulin Waishi, which is similar in structure." The officials depicted in the book are utterly foolish, despicable, and morally corrupt to an extreme; they oppress and exploit the people with cruelty and brutality, also to an extreme. However, the author did not provide a profound artistic summary of reality, and there is also an element of catering to the times and seeking popularity in his writing attitude. Lu Xun also pointed out, "There are many speculative claims in it, making it difficult to call it a factual record. It lacks the depth of 'subtle and simmering' as described in the preface, and it is far from the legacy of the elder Lu Wenmu. Moreover, the material collected is merely 'material for gossip,' pieced together to form an encyclopedia-like work. The tricks of officialdom are small in variation but largely the same; compiled into a lengthy narrative, it becomes repetitive. Only because of the demands of the times did The Officialdom Unmasked gain such fame. As a result, works using the title 'Unmasked' to describe other fields, such as the business world, academia, and the female sphere, followed in quick succession."