Food Delivery Rider Wins One of China's Highest Literary Honours

July 21, 2026: A Chinese food delivery rider whose poems emerged from years of balancing work and writing has received one of the country's most prestigious literary awards, highlighting the growing recognition of working-class voices in contemporary Chinese literature.

Wang Jibing, 56, won the Lu Xun Literary Prize for Low Flight, a poetry collection shaped by the everyday realities of food delivery workers. Many of the poems were first drafted on small pieces of paper during breaks between deliveries, reflecting the struggles, aspirations and resilience of people working in China's vast gig economy.

The award marks a remarkable chapter in Wang's journey. Forced to leave school as a teenager because of financial difficulties, he spent decades moving between manual jobs, including construction work, waste collection and street vending, before becoming a food delivery rider around 2019. Throughout those years, however, he continued reading and writing, regularly sharing his poems and essays on social media.

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His writing first drew widespread attention in 2022 when Man in a Hurry went viral online. Inspired by an exhausting delivery caused by an incorrect customer address in 2019, the poem later became the title of his first published poetry collection in 2023.

Speaking after the announcement, Wang admitted he felt intense anxiety while waiting for the results. "I held my breath and felt extremely nervous… Once it was revealed, everything was settled," he said, adding that the attention surrounding the award had also brought considerable mental pressure.

Despite receiving one of China's highest literary honours, Wang said he has no plans to step away from food delivery. "Financially I don't need this job to make a living, but I love the vibe of the work and it keeps me fit," he said. "I want a down-to-earth life and the award will never change who I am."

Published in 2024, Low Flight draws on conversations and surveys with around 200 delivery riders. One of its recurring ideas is captured in the line: "Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying."

Wang's recognition reflects a broader shift in China's literary landscape, where stories from blue-collar workers are increasingly finding readers. Works such as I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, the memoir of former courier Hu Anyan published in 2023, and migrant worker Fan Yusu's autobiographical essay I Am Fan Yusu, which became an online sensation in 2017, have similarly brought the experiences of ordinary workers into the national spotlight.

Named after Lu Xun, widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature, the literary prize honours outstanding writing that captures the realities of society. Wang's victory adds another voice to that tradition, showing how powerful literature can emerge from the routines of everyday working life.

News Credits : BBC