From Food Delivery Driver to Celebrated 'Delivery Poet'
Wang Jibing, affectionately known as the 'Delivery Poet,' earns his living as a food delivery driver in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. He navigates the city on an electric three-wheeler, delivering meals while simultaneously crafting poetry during brief work breaks. His poems, characterized by simple language, capture profound insights, emotions, and the stories of people he encounters, often focusing on ordinary individuals and their daily lives.
Wang's work has gained international acclaim from both general readers and critics. He also writes essays and articles. The 57-year-old poet has received several prestigious literary awards, including the Lu Xun Literary Prize in 2026 for his poetry collection 'Flying Low.' His success is seen as a resurgence of Chinese 'worker literature.' Despite his accolades, Wang continues his delivery work, stating that it keeps him connected to ordinary people and the raw experiences that fuel his writing. He believes that abandoning his profession would disconnect him from the 'smoke and fire' of daily life, which is essential for his poetry's vitality.
Wang has written over six thousand poems in more than three decades. His third book, 'Flying Low,' was published in English and French this year. He began writing poetry at 19, finding it a solace amidst physically demanding jobs like construction and sand hauling. Since 2018, he has focused on food delivery, jotting down verses on scraps of paper or delivery slips. His poem 'A Man in a Hurry,' posted online in 2022, went viral, attracting millions of fans worldwide. Although he has achieved fame and financial success, Wang remains dedicated to his delivery route, having traveled nearly 170,000 kilometers. He sees his poetry as a sweetening agent for the bitter realities of life for delivery workers, comparing it to sugar after taking bitter medicine.
This narrative highlights the emergence of an artist from a working-class background, challenging conventional notions of creativity and success. It underscores the potential for profound artistic expression to arise from the margins of society, often fueled by direct engagement with everyday struggles and observations. The story prompts reflection on how societal structures can both enable and constrain individuals, and how technology platforms, while facilitating gig work, can also inadvertently foster new forms of cultural production and recognition. It invites consideration of the value placed on different forms of labor and artistic contribution, and whether the current economic system adequately supports or recognizes creators whose work is deeply rooted in their lived experiences as laborers.
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