The X-files: My adventures with Chinese bureaucracy

Every adult who attended high school in China has a secret file called a dang an. The file is "secret" because access to it is closely guarded. Yet, the dang an is also not a secret at all.

It's common knowledge the file is established when you enter high school. From there, it follows you from school to school, job to job, documenting your successes and failures in banal precision (test scores) and subjective detail (employer evaluations).

Although the paper dossier looks flimsily unimportant (if you were ever privileged enough to see yours), it carries as much weight in China's administrative system as the hukou (residency permit). Prospective bosses, teachers and even spouses want to know that your file is in tip-top shape.