Flying Low Is Also Flying: The Delivery Rider Who Won China's Top Literary Prize

Imagine weaving through chaotic traffic, rushing to deliver meals on time, only to write down poetry on scraps of paper between orders. This is the reality of 56-year-old Wang Jibing. Once an odd-job worker struggling to make ends meet, Wang has just won the Lu Xun Literary Prize, one of China's highest literary honors, for his poetry collection, Low Flight. He will get around 1,00,000 Chinese Yuan (nearly Rs 14 lakh), BBC reported, citing Global Times.

Named after the father of modern Chinese literature, the award is a massive moral victory for Wang, who left school as a teenager due to poverty. For decades, he survived on construction sites, scavenged for waste, and ran street stalls. In 2019, he became a food delivery rider- days before the coronavirus pandemic shattered streets and gig economy across the globe. Through it all, his passion for writing never faded. He quietly shared his soul on social media, capturing the raw, exhausting reality of China’s gig economy.

From viral poem to national honour

Wang first touched the hearts of millions in 2022 with his viral poem, "Man in a Hurry". It was born from a heartbreakingly relatable moment: a grueling delivery where a customer gave the wrong address, leaving Wang running in circles for hours.

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Instead of letting the bitterness consume him, Wang turned his frustration into art. For his prize-winning book "Low Flight", he interviewed 200 fellow riders, giving a beautiful, haunting voice to the invisible workforce powering the nation. As he gently writes:

"Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying."

Staying grounded

When the news broke, Wang admitted he was incredibly nervous, feeling the heavy weight of sudden spotlight. Yet, despite the fame and the prize money, he refuses to hang up his delivery jacket. He plans to keep riding until he turns 60. For Wang, the job isn't just about money anymore, it keeps him fit, connected, and grounded. "I want a down-to-earth life," he shared. "The award will never change who I am."

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Wang is part of a moving wave of blue-collar writers in China, including couriers and migrant workers, who are turning their daily struggles into powerful literature. His story reminds us that art doesn't just belong in universities or grand libraries; it lives in the hearts of everyday people fighting to be heard.