Deliveryman chases his poetic dream

Wang Jibing and his wife arrange goods at their family-run small store in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026. Born in 1969 in east China's Jiangsu Province, Wang Jibing dropped out of school during junior high. To make a living, he worked as a construction worker, a sand dredger, a street vendor and a scrap collector. Yet, he never lost his appetite for reading, often lingering at secondhand book stalls and sifting through discarded newspapers. Life was hard, yet his love for literature never faded. "Literature is a candy in my life." He said. "I've never found that writing is mentally challenging. Passion is all that drives me."

In 2019, hearing that delivering food could pay well, Wang decided to give it a shot. At 50, he became the oldest courier at his station. On his way to deliver takeout food, while waiting for red lights and for the food to be served, he composed verses. When inspiration struck, he used his mobile phone to jot down moments of his experience on streets and the sentiment.

This year, Wang's poetry collection "Low Flight" won him the Lu Xun Literature Prize, making him the first takeout rider-turned-laureate. In plainspoken language, Wang captured the rhythms, challenges and moments of warmth that mark the lives of delivery riders: slippery roads during storms, brief exchanges between couriers and customers, and solitary journeys beneath streetlights late at night.

Since receiving the honor, he has received many work invitations. Even so, whenever he has free time, he still puts on his delivery uniform and rides through the streets of Kunshan.

"Delivering food keeps me grounded. It is where my power lies. To find fresh emotion and creative inspiration, I must stay immersed with real life." He said. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing delivers takeout food in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing sorts out the poems he recorded on his phone with computer at his family-run small store in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing records verses that suddenly came to his mind in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing reads a book at his home in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing (R) chats with a food deliveryman at a commercial plaza in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing presents his poetry collections to Kunyuan Community in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, April 10, 2026.(Photo by Wang Xuzhong/Xinhua)

Wang Jibing puts the goods on his electric bike in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing communicates with children at a writing creation sharing session in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, April 10, 2026.(Photo by Wang Xuzhong/Xinhua)

Wang Jibing shares his writing experience at an event held at Juxiang Community, Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 4, 2025.(Photo by Wang Xuzhong/Xinhua)

Wang Jibing's wife Guo Yiyun decorates their family-run small store with Wang's poems in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing displays his poetry collections on a street of Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing arranges bookshelves at his family-run small store in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing records verses by the roadside in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing displays his poetry collections on a street of Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

This photo taken on Oct. 8, 2026 shows drafts of the poems written by Wang Jibing.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing moves goods at his family-run small store in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing waits to pick up the goods at a convenience store in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing is pictured in the night in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang Jibing delivers a speech at the award ceremony of Lu Xun Literature Prize in east China's Shanghai, Aug. 28, 2026.(Photo by Yuan Xinyu/Xinhua)