“I Deliver Parcels in Beijing”: Chinese literary sensation reaches U.S.

“I Deliver Parcels in Beijing”: Chinese Literary Sensation Reaches the U.S.

Hu Anyan, a former courier whose memoir I Deliver Parcels in Beijing became a bestseller in China, shares his reflections on labor, technology, and change. Throughout his career, Hu held 19 different jobs across six Chinese cities, taking on roles as diverse as bicycle salesman, bakery worker, 3D renderer, and clothing store manager before turning to courier work.

Now 46, Hu transformed his experiences into a book written in a conversational tone, combining vivid details, humor, and moments of frustration with managers, customers, and the challenges of city life. When released in 2023, the book resonated deeply with Chinese readers, capturing the struggles and spirit of millions of delivery workers sustaining the country’s fast-moving e-commerce ecosystem.

“I wanted to show that behind every parcel is a person trying to make a living,” Hu says in the interview with Rest of World, ahead of the book’s English translation by Jack Hargreaves.

Readers found echoes of their own situations in Hu’s stories of economic instability, shrinking social mobility, and monotonous jobs. His straightforward storytelling and humanity turned the book into a cultural touchstone for the modern working class in China.

An Ordinary Worker Turned Writer

Hu’s journey to writing began unexpectedly. Around 2009, he was running a women’s clothing store in Nanjing — what he recalls as a difficult period in his life. Over time, his experiences across blue-collar jobs shaped his understanding of work and urban survival, eventually motivating him to document them in writing.

Themes and Reflections

As the English edition reaches new audiences, Hu hopes readers abroad will see the shared humanity in his experiences and reconsider modern notions of work, dignity, and perseverance.

Author’s summary: Hu Anyan’s memoir captures China’s modern labor realities through vivid storytelling, balancing humor and hardship as it crosses cultural boundaries to reach Western readers.

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Rest of World Rest of World — 2025-11-04

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