After returning hometown, Tian was arranged to work as a substitute teacher at Yishun Township Central Primary School (义顺乡中心小学).[1] Two years later, he was transferred to the neighboring Chengjiao People's Commune (城郊人民公社) and appointed party secretary.[1] In December 1977, he rose to become deputy magistrate, deputy party secretary of Zhaoyuan County, and a member of the CCP Zhaoyuan County Committee, the county's top authority.[1]
Tian was removed from this position in October 2003.[2] In September 2004, the 4th plenary session of the 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party decided to deprive Tian of the membership of Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and expel him from the party. On December 27, 2005, charged with bribery, Tian was given a life sentence by the Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court, with life-time political privileges being removed and all his personal belongings confiscated.[citation needed]