“I Deliver Parcels in Beijing”: Chinese Literary Sensation Reaches U.S.
Hu Anyan, once a courier, became widely known in China for his memoir I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, which explores the exhausting world of package delivery work. His path has taken him through 19 jobs in six cities across China — from selling bicycles and managing a clothing store to baking bread, drafting 3D architectural designs, and working night shifts in logistics warehouses.
At the age of 46, Hu transformed these experiences into vivid stories written with humor and honesty. The book, published in 2023, quickly became a bestseller. Readers were drawn to its depiction of the unseen struggles of millions of couriers sustaining China’s fast-paced e-commerce network, where individual workers are often viewed as replaceable.
The memoir resonated not only for its social commentary but for its reflection on economic instability, shrinking opportunities, and the sense of disconnection many workers face. Hu’s candid storytelling sparked national discussion about labor and identity in modern China.
“Around 2009, I was running a women’s clothing store in Nanjing, a painful job,” Hu recalled.
As the English translation by Jack Hargreaves approaches release, Hu spoke with Rest of World about his writing process, his thoughts on automation and the future of couriers, and what he hopes international readers will take away from his story.
Author’s Summary
A poignant look at Hu Anyan’s rise from courier to bestselling author, capturing China’s labor realities and the human cost of a thriving digital economy.