Food Delivery Rider Wins China's Top Literary Award

Beijing. A 56-year-old food delivery rider working in China's vast 'gig economy' (temporary or contract-based work) has received China's highest literary honor. Wang Jibing, the person named, won this award for a collection of poems he scribbled on pieces of paper during his free time while delivering. His collection of poems titled 'Low Flight' has won the 'Lu Xun Literary Award'. This award is established in the name of the famous writer Lu Xun, considered the father of modern Chinese literature. Wang, who became a delivery rider around 2019, had gained considerable attention on social media for his poems and essays. He is currently part of a growing group of working-class laborers making their mark in literature, whose works offer a glimpse into the pressure and struggle faced by workers in China's fast-paced gig economy. For Wang, this prestigious literary award is an achievement after decades of hard struggle and various small jobs. After the news of winning the award was made public, he told the state-run media 'Global Times' on July 15: "I held my breath and felt extremely nervous... but when the results were announced, everything became calm." According to him, the media attention after the award created great mental pressure on him. Although the prize money for the Lu Xun Literary Award is not publicly announced, it was 100,000 Chinese Yuan (approximately 14,800 US dollars or 11,000 pounds) in 2014. Born in Jiangsu Province, Wang had to leave school in his teens due to his family's weak financial condition. Before becoming a food deliveryman, he had worked in various jobs including construction, waste collection, and selling goods from roadside stalls. However, his passion for reading remained alive, and for the past decade, he has been posting his poems and essays on social media. In 2022, his poem titled 'Man in a Hurry' went viral online. This poem was inspired by an incident in 2019 where he had to wander for hours for delivery because a customer had provided the wrong address. Then, in 2023, he published his first poetry collection, 'Man in a Hurry: Poems of a Food Delivery Rider'. Despite winning the award, Wang has stated that he has no plans to quit his job. He plans to work until the age of 60. According to a Global Times report, he said: "I don't need this job for financial sustenance, but I like this work environment and it keeps me fit." He added, "I want a very realistic life, and this award will never change who I am." 'Low Flight', published in 2024, is a collection of poems inspired by Wang's interviews and surveys with about 200 delivery riders. A line from his poem reads, "Who says spreading wings means flying high? A low flight is also a flight." Wang's victory comes at a time when many blue-collar workers in China have been making their mark in the literary world in recent years. In 2023, the memoir 'I Deliver Parcels in Beijing' written by former courier Hu An'an became a bestseller in China and also attracted media attention abroad. The English translation of the memoir was published last year. Similarly, 'I am Fan Yusu' is another title. This autobiographical essay about a migrant worker's personal struggle had shaken the Chinese internet in 2017. The reaction was so widespread that Fan had to temporarily leave his home due to endless media requests. Lu Xun, after whom this literary award is named, is considered one of China's greatest writers of the 20th century. He was known for using satirical novels to criticize traditional Chinese society. Lu Xun's works, always remembered as one of China's most important literary figures, have become relevant again among today's youth. A few years ago, his fictional character 'Kong Yiji' had become a symbol of despair among Chinese youth struggling to find jobs.