Food Delivery Rider Wins China's Top Poetry Prize

Wang Jibing spends his days racing through the streets of Kunshan, China, delivering meals. At night, he transforms those experiences into poetry that just earned him the Lu Xun Literary Prize, one of China's highest literary honors.

The 57-year-old has logged over 150,000 kilometers on his delivery bike since 2019. During that time, he's written more than 6,000 poems inspired by the people he meets and the challenges he faces on the road.

His winning collection, "Low Flight," grew from interviews with 140 fellow delivery riders. Wang wanted readers to understand the real lives behind the people who bring food to their doors.

"Literature used to be like a pyramid, with everyone's attention fixed on the few people at the top," Wang told reporters after receiving the award on July 15. "Now it's turning its focus to the base, giving voice to the silent majority."

Wang's path to literary success wasn't traditional. He dropped out of middle school and worked as a construction laborer and trash collector before finding delivery work. He started publishing in magazines in the 1990s but gained widespread attention in 2022 when his poem "Man in a Hurry" went viral on social media.

That poem was born from frustration. A customer had entered the wrong address, forcing Wang to rush across town while his other deliveries piled up. The platform penalized him financially, but the experience became art.

The Ripple Effect

Wang is part of a growing movement of grassroots writers gaining recognition in China. Former miners, farmers, and couriers are now publishing works that document working-class life with authenticity that traditional writers often miss.

The Lu Xun Literary Prize, established in 1996 and awarded every four years, honored 35 works this year across seven categories. Wang's win signals a shift in what Chinese literary institutions consider worthy of celebration.

He remains grounded despite the accolades. "I made deliveries yesterday, and as long as I live in Kunshan, I'll keep delivering food," he said after the ceremony. Writing has become his side hustle, supplemented by book royalties and literary events, while he runs a small grocery store with his wife.

Wang admits he's cautious about the praise, knowing some people focus more on his delivery rider identity than his actual writing. "They tend to read it with sympathy, or even pity," he noted. "I know I still have a long way to go as a writer."

An English translation of "Low Flight" arrives in December through U.S.-based Chax Press, bringing Wang's voice to a global audience.