New Delhi: Delivery driver by day, poet by night, 56-year-old Wang Jibing just won one of China’s most prestigious literary awards, the Lu Xun Literary Prize.
First published in 2024, Wang’s poetry collection, Low Flight, was inspired by his everyday struggles as a delivery rider. However, this achievement is not his first brush with fame. In 2019, Wang gained popularity on social media for his poems and memoirs. His 2022 poem “Man in a Hurry” was very popular on Chinese social media; it recounted the tale of a frustrating delivery.
Although the monetary prize along with the award is not publicly known, it stood at 100,000 Chinese yuan ($14,800) as of 2014.
“Financially, I don’t need this job to make a living, but I love the vibe of the work, and it keeps me fit. I want a down-to-earth life, and the award will never change who I am,” Wang told Global Times, adding that he has no plans to quit and hopes to keep working till he is 60 years old.
But Wang’s victory and story do not occur in a vacuum. He is part of a growing community of Chinese gig-workers celebrated for their literary work.
Hu Anyan, a former courier in China, became a best-selling author for his memoir I Deliver Parcels in Beijing (2023). Hu had 19 other jobs apart from delivering parcels when he published.
China’s gig economy has experienced exponential growth in recent years, making up almost 44 per cent of the country’s workforce. “Flexible unemployment” often includes delivery services, ride-hailing, home and personal services, as well as digital freelancing.