In Kunshan, Jiangsu province, Wang Jibing finds moments between his food delivery work to compose poetry. Recently, his latest collection earned him the prestigious Lu Xun Literature Prize in the poetry category. Wang, 56, has written over 5,000 poems while covering nearly 100,000 miles as a courier over the past eight years. His poetry captures the essence of the working class, which has earned him the nickname ‘delivery poet’.

‘Flying’ at a Low Altitude

His third collection, Low Altitude Flight, reflects on the dreams and challenges of blue-collar workers, including the 10 million individuals in China’s gig economy. In one poem, Wang expresses, “Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying.” While his verses do not shy away from life’s challenges, they emphasize resilience and inspire readers to persevere and cultivate their passions.

“As the old saying goes, eight or nine out of 10 things in life will disappoint us. We are always losing something. Yet whatever else we lose, we must not lose our passions. Passions lead to faith, and faith gives us strength,” Wang writes.

To bring authenticity to Low Altitude Flight, Wang interviewed more than 140 delivery workers to portray the industry’s daily realities accurately. “I believe the greatest value of writing may not be limited to expressing one’s own inner self, but being able to speak out for others,” he explained to China Media Publishers’ Daily, emphasizing his desire for meaningful work.

Despite gaining recognition, Wang remains grounded. “I want to live a down-to-earth life, and the award will never change who I am. I will keep writing and sharing ordinary people’s life stories through literature,” Wang declared to the Global Times. He does not plan to leave his delivery job, saying he enjoys the work’s atmosphere and the physical activity it entails, even though he does not need it financially. Wang aims to continue this work until he turns 60.

His previous poetry collections include The Person in a Hurry and I Clumsily Love This World.

What Is the Lu Xun Literature Prize?

The Lu Xun Literature Prize, awarded every four years by the China Writers Association, is a significant literary accolade in China. It is regarded as the nation’s top prize for poetry, essays, literary criticism, translation, and short stories. Named after Lu Xun, considered the father of modern Chinese literature, the prize typically acknowledges the work of established professional writers rather than grassroots authors. The award amount for this year remains undisclosed, but the last known prize in 2014 was 100,000 yuan, roughly $14,800.

Newsweek has contacted the China Writers Association by email for further details.