Human labyrinth

Handling the complicated yet annoying game of human relationships has always been the first lesson faced by most young civil servants.

Wang said that it is important to remember "never to take sides." "It is playing with fire if you take sides. No one knows what will happen or which side will win and which side will lose," Wang said.

There are also taboos, Wang revealed. "Never skip the hierarchy," Wang said. Normally, lower-level officials are prohibited from reporting to their boss's boss, which could result in great trouble.

Low salaries and limited space for pay rises is another major complaint. Wang, who worked in the government department for over eight years, says her monthly salary is around 5,000 yuan ($820). There used to be allowances and subsidies, but due to the central government's promotion of thrift, ordinary civil servants now have no extra income. Compared with the high salaries of her friends and classmates who work in State-owned companies, Wang said she is always being laughed at because of her pay. "They said I am wasted here," she said.

Wang said she has gone through a lot of ups and downs. In the first two years, she suffered a great deal of depression due to the difficulties of adapting to her environment. "The civil servant group is rather depressive and tedious. When I first came to work, I was active and vigorous, like a happy bird. Soon, I found I was incompatible with the situation," 34-year-old Wang said.

Wang noted that she spent three years getting accustomed to the mood and work style of "the old comrades."

In China, a government appointment is often regarded as an "iron rice bowl" job. The fierce competition for this kind of position reflects people's eagerness for social status, income and security. In most people's eyes, being a civil servant is an honorable and prestigious achievement. Some say it is much easier to get married if you are a civil servant. However, many positions in government are sinecures. Most civil servants normally have few concerns about their posts and personal achievements.

"Being a civil servant is like living in a safe haven. You could stay in government positions forever, as long as you don't make mistakes," Li Hui (pseudonym), who is now a publicity official at a water department affiliated to the State Council, told the Global Times.