"In the 80's or 90's, this kind of person would certainly receive the blessings of party leaders. But these kinds of people who were originally on track for promotion are now blocked from it by these new regulations. In order to become a national cadre, now one must take a test," says Guan.

"Being a village cadre is not easy. They are paid little, and after working for one year they still do not make as much as they would have elsewhere," says Xiang.

They often receive a mere 3,000 yuan stipend per year. The chief and deputy-chief receive two or three hundred yuan for communication costs. But in actual practice, the subsidies are often uncollectible. Meanwhile, the monthly salary for a cadre of a larger town is 1,200-1,300 yuan.

"No matter how hard they work, they are still considered a peasant, [which makes] them lose their morale and leave to work elsewhere."

Villages are the most basic units, and their direction is affected to a large degree by the quality and zeal of their managing officials.

Although he's lost the opportunity to become an official functionary of the government, Xiang Zhijing is steadfast in believing that village cadres do meaningful work. "As long as one is held in esteem by others, if you work hard, you can still become a government employee and become a national cadre."

Looking Ahead-- and Up

Hubei's provincial party committee and human affairs department has already begun to distribute recruitment frameworks to subordinate local agencies.

One source tells us that applicants must pass a written test, an interview, and a career assessment. These parts of the application process occurred from late April into the middle of this month. According to their written and oral scores, the top third of scorers will be assessed on their work experience, ethics, work style, and knowledge of their constituents. They will then be ranked with the written, oral, and cumulative assessment being weighted 30 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent respectively.

Officials selected from towns and villages will be put on probation for one year, after which they will enjoy treatment as functionaries, or junior government officials. If they do not satisfy the terms of their probation, their employment is cancelled.