China: 56-year-old Chinese food delivery rider Wang Jibing has won one of the country’s most prestigious literary awards, the Lu Xun Literary Prize. He received this honor for his poetry collection “Low Flight,” which sensitively depicts the struggles, hard work, and everyday life of delivery riders.
Quitted studies due to poverty, became a famous poet through hard work
Wang Jibing, a resident of Jiangsu Province, dropped out of school in his teens due to financial constraints. He worked in various odd jobs, including construction work, scrap picking, and roadside selling, to earn a living. In 2019, he became a food delivery rider.
Despite his busy schedule, he never gave up writing. He often scribbled poems on small pieces of paper during his free time between deliveries. His poems went viral on social media, and his first collection of poems, “Man in a Hurry,” was published in 2023.
The lives of delivery riders became the inspiration for his poetry
For “Low Flight,” published in 2024, Wang interviewed nearly 200 delivery riders and incorporated their experiences into his poems. One of his famous lines is, “Who says flying is only high? Flying low is also a flight.”
Even after receiving such a significant honor, Wang refused to quit his job. He says he loves his work, says it keeps him active, and he wants to live a simple life.
Blue-collar writers are gaining recognition
In recent years, many writers from the working class and blue-collar class in China have gained prominence for their work. Their books and memoirs highlight the struggles, hard work, and dreams of ordinary people, and have received widespread love from readers.