Which is More Bizarre: Don Quixote or Having No Choice But to Be an Official?

Nantai

Having No Choice But to Be an Official was first published by Guangzhou Huacheng Publishing House in 2002. After the original publishing contract expired, it was reprinted by Motie Publishing Company and remains in circulation to this day. Since its initial release, it has been a bestseller for over 22 years. During this period, sharp-eyed book pirates have reproduced it multiple times; one pirated version even fraudulently listed Wang Yuewen as its author.

The protagonist of Having No Choice But to Be an Official is named Gao Ju. The book portrays a typical example of someone who "rises to officialdom through mediocrity and muddleheadedness"—a good-for-nothing who embodies "Ah Q’s cowardice, Emperor Adou’s good fortune, Ximen Qing’s cunning, and Zhu Bajie’s laziness, muddling through life with absurd charm." As the saying goes, "He’s incapable of doing anything else, so he becomes an official." Remarkably, despite his incompetence, his official career thrives: every mistake he makes earns him a promotion. In the end, he climbs the ranks "from a village-level position to a township role, then to a county post, later to a municipal office, and finally to a provincial leadership position—wielding great power and dominating half his life!" Isn’t that bizarre?

In world literature, Don Quixote is already such a bizarre character that he has become a brilliant highlight in the gallery of literary figures. Don Quixote has reigned in the world of literature for over 400 years, thanks to the humor of its protagonist. However, Don Quixote only humiliates himself personally, and each embarrassment diminishes his prestige. How can he compare to Gao Ju, who "achieves miracles in officialdom by getting promoted every time he messes up"? If Having No Choice But to Be an Official were to gain international recognition, could Don Quixote still hold his "dominant position" in world literature? What do you think?

It is important to note, however, that Having No Choice But to Be an Official is a humorous comedy novel. Its protagonist Gao Ju is merely incompetent—not a villain. The book’s "bizarreness" lies in two metaphors:

1. It is like embedding a weathered stone into the edifice of socialism, planting a huge hidden danger in the building—yet the fault does not lie with the weathered stone itself.
2. It is like mixing a rotten egg into a cake, ruining the entire dish with one bad ingredient—yet the fault is not the rotten egg’s.

The core question is: Why can a useless, laughable good-for-nothing thrive in officialdom? That is the charm of comedy. Comedy is meant to make people laugh, but true comedy makes people laugh and think. Wouldn’t you pause to reflect on this question after reading the book?

Comedic novels are like wine: they take the form of water but possess the fiery nature of fire. Humorous comedy novels, in particular, are like sweet rice wine—gentle and pleasant on the palate, yet leaving a long-lasting aftertaste…

This is a personal opinion, for reference only.

Farewell.

Ningxia, March 22, 2025, 05:05

Product mentioned in the text: Recommended Chinese version of Don Quixote