Courier Wins Top Chinese Literary Award for Poetry

In Kunshan, Jiangsu province, Wang Jibing balances his time between food deliveries and writing poetry. His recent poetry collection earned the Lu Xun Literature Prize, China’s highest honor for literary works, in the poetry category. Over the past eight years, Wang, 56, has crafted over 5,000 poems while working as a courier, traversing nearly 100,000 miles in the process. His writing captures the quiet dignity of the working class, leading to his nickname as the ‘delivery poet.’

Exploring the Lives of Workers

Wang’s third compilation, Low Altitude Flight, continues his exploration of blue-collar workers’ hopes and challenges, including those employed in China’s rapidly growing gig economy. In one poem, he asserts, ‘Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying.’ Wang’s verses do not shy away from life’s difficulties. Instead, they celebrate resilience and encourage readers to persist and nurture 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 remarks.

To portray delivery workers’ realities, Wang interviewed over 140 individuals for Low Altitude Flight. He emphasizes the importance of writing beyond self-expression, aiming to represent others. ‘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 told China Media Publishers’ Daily. ‘I long to do something meaningful.’

Commitment to Craft and Lifestyle

Though his award has increased his fame, Wang insists on staying 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,’ he stated to the Global Times.

Regarding his courier job, Wang plans to continue until age 60. ‘Financially, I don’t need to do this job to make a living, but I love the vibe of the work and it keeps me fit,’ he explained.

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

The Lu Xun Literature Prize

Granted every four years by the China Writers Association, the Lu Xun Literature Prize is among the nation’s top honors for poetry, essays, literary criticism, translation, and short stories. Named after Lu Xun (1881-1936), the prize traditionally favors established writers. While this year’s prize amount is undisclosed, the 2014 edition awarded 100,000 yuan (approximately $14,800). Newsweek has reached out to the China Writers Association for more details.