The theme of the book is the disintegration of the late Qing dynasty civil service bureaucracy as it is deteriorating. There are four types of protagonists present: civil bureaucrats, people aspiring to become officials, people who are motivated by making money, and women. The bureaucrats include civil officials of all ranks, including army officers, clerks and aides, the warden, up to the governor. The aspirants wanting to become officials include one examination candidate, sons of officials, former petty bureaucrats, wealthy men, and the sons of wealthy men who have been spoiled by them. the novel is very long with a bewildering and overwhelming amount of content.