He Delivers Food By Day, Writes Poetry By Night. Now He Has Won China's Top Literary Prize

A Chinese food delivery rider who turned the struggles of life on the road into poetry has won one of the country's highest literary honours, proving that powerful stories can come from the most ordinary jobs. Wang Jibing, a 57-year-old delivery rider from Jiangsu province, has been awarded the prestigious Lu Xun Literary Prize for his poetry collection Low Flight, BBC reported. Named after Lu Xun, widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature, the award is among China's most respected literary recognitions.

Known as a "delivery rider by day and poet by night," Wang has spent the past several years balancing long hours on his scooter with late nights writing poetry. Since becoming a food delivery rider in Kunshan in 2019, he has covered more than 150,000 kilometres and written over 6,000 poems, many inspired by the everyday experiences, frustrations, and resilience of delivery workers.

His latest collection, 'Low Flight', draws on interviews and conversations with nearly 200 fellow riders, capturing the realities of China's rapidly growing gig economy. One of its most memorable lines reads, "Who says spreading your wings means flying high?" Flying low is also flying."

As a teenager, Wang was forced to leave school because of financial hardship. He then spent decades working a series of odd jobs, including construction work, collecting scrap, and running a street stall. Through it all, he never gave up his love for reading and writing, publishing poems and essays in magazines before later sharing his work on social media.

His breakthrough came in 2022 when his poem 'Man in a Hurry' went viral on Weibo. The poem was inspired by a real delivery in which a customer entered the wrong address, forcing Wang to rush across the city, delaying other orders and leaving him with a financial penalty. The following year, he published his first poetry collection, 'Man in a Hurry: Poems of a Food Delivery Rider'.

Speaking to China's Global Times after learning he had won the Lu Xun Literary Prize, Wang admitted he felt immense pressure in the lead-up to the announcement. "I held my breath and felt extremely nervous… Once it was revealed, everything was settled," Wang said. 

Despite the recognition, he has no plans to leave his day job. Wang said he intends to continue delivering food until he turns 60, explaining that he enjoys the work, the lifestyle, and the fitness it brings. He added that while he no longer depends on the job financially, he wants to remain grounded and believes the award will not change who he is.