Novel by Wang Xiaofang, translation by Eric Abrahamsen, review by C.S.M. (Clarissa Sebag Montefiore?)

Officialdom fiction works in part as muckraking, for the rest of us, and in part as a guide for aspiring officials, who are advised on what not to do if you want to keep your head (hint: do not accept bribes). It owes its popularity to a readership that is both fascinated and repelled by the elite who rule them. Mr Wang’s novels have sold millions.

attached to: Wang Xiaofang