The unconventional author disclosing the raw reality of employment in China
Chengdu, a city in the Sichuan province, greeted the first day of April with chilly rain showers. Qing Ming, the traditional tomb-sweeping holiday marking the start of spring, was just around the corner, but Hu Anyan, a 46-year-old migrant worker, wouldn't embark on his 1,500km journey south to Guangzhou until after the spring exodus of hundreds of millions of Chinese travelers.
A tall, thin man with spiky hair and wearing a metallic blue running hoodie, Hu lived in a shared apartment in Chengdu. His mornings began with a brief 10-minute walk to the Chengdu Qingyang Library, passing through neighborhood markets bustling with vendors selling fresh produce, household items, and food.
As Hu strolled along the streets, he navigated the typical obstacles of any Chinese open-air market: oranges displayed in cars, electric lock displays, and stalls selling pig's feet and chicken legs. Passing a neighborhood watch post and alleyways lined with apartment blocks, he occasionally paused to feed a couple of stray cats.
Upon arriving at the library's ground floor, Hu walked through a dimly lit hallway, passing cleaning staff, till he reached the "self-study room." The brightly lit room housed rows of individuals hunched over tables, engrossed in their work - some typing on laptops, others lost in their phones' games, some merely avoiding returning home. Unbeknownst to these individuals, they shared a space with one of China's rising literary talents.
For over two decades, Hu worked in various jobs across six cities. Frequently labor-intensive and poorly paid, these jobs provided meager wages and few employment benefits or opportunities for advancement. Every few years, Hu would emerge from his latest employment with a small sum that kept him going without work for a few months, sometimes longer. An avid reader, Hu began writing his experiences in Russia and Western literature, chronicling his working life in China.
His daily-life-in-China musings, posted on the Chinese app Douban, attracted little attention. In 2020, however, Pu Zhao, a young editor with a rounded face and a black bowl cut, stumbled upon one of Hu's essays in Shanghai. Recognizing Hu's writing style, Pu reached out to Hu, forming an online friendship.
Pu was also instrumental in convincing Hu to publish a longer manuscript - four essays and an epilogue detailing Hu's working life. Hu's book, "I Deliver Parcels in Beijing," was published in April 2023 by a small Shanghai publishing house after being vetted by Chinese authorities. The book quickly gained popularity on Douban and required multiple print runs.
Hu's memoir resonated with readers from diverse backgrounds, as they found commonalities with their own working lives. Readers praised Hu's depictions of the relentless grind of modern Chinese labor and his analysis on the pursuit of freedom.
Hu's writing is part of a growing movement of Chinese literature that diverges from the established, highly-educated literary elite. Figures like Chen Nianxi, a Shaanxi province miner who gained fame with a collection of working-class poems, and Fan Yusu, a domestic helper who rapidly rose to fame after publishing an essay in 2017, paved the way for Hu's success.
Given China's rigorous censorship history, the lack of censorship towards Hu's work was noteworthy. Despite exposing harsh realities and inequality, it remained widely accessible. In November 2023, less than six months after its release, The People's Daily, the party's official newspaper, endorsed Hu's book as a "must-read" for Chinese citizens, calling it a "fine tradition of Chinese literature" that "clearly describes the self-control and self-reflection of ordinary people in labor and tempering, and the precious pursuit of the meaning of life."
The endorsement came during Xi Jinping's common prosperity campaign, a bid to address perceived societal ills and capitalist excess. During this period, many urban young professionals showed renewed interest in Marxist theory, criticizing the forces of capitalism.
Hu's literary success did not come without controversy. Beijing officials took issue with the book's title and the scenes of exploitation in their city. Pu, the editor, also noticed an omission from the original manuscript - a passage about a worker who had committed suicide which was absent in the final version.
Hu downplayed the labels placed upon his book, stating that the book's success would determine its true value. He also expressed mixed feelings about the upcoming English translation of his work in the UK and US, stating he hoped it would raise awareness of workers' conditions in China without being interpreted as criticism of the Chinese government.
Despite facing censorship and criticism, Hu remains humble about his literary successes, attributing his writing to his parents' upbringing during China's tumultuous 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Hu's mother, originally from Shanghai, moved south to Guangzhou as a child and faced prejudice as the daughter of a Kuomintang member, making her fearful of public scrutiny and self-critical tendencies.
Hu's mother's experiences have carried over to her son, who finds himself constantly grappling with self-doubt and fear of criticism and humiliation. These traits resonate with Chinese youth struggling with dongya chigan wenhua (east Asian shame culture).
Beyond his memoirs, Hu is working on additional literary projects, exploring themes of identity and personal growth. Despite his successful literary career, he maintains a frugal lifestyle and lives outside the formal literary world in Beijing.
- Hu is not only a rising literary talent in China, but his book, "I Deliver Parcels in Beijing," is also gaining popularity in the entertainment industry, resonating with readers and even being endorsed by The People's Daily.
- Despite the very different landscapes, Hu finds himself drawn to the Economy and Markets section of the bookstore while on his 1,500km journey south to Guangzhou, reflecting his interest in understanding the world around him.
- As Hu continues to share his experiences through books, he is contributing to the Analysis and understanding of modern Chinese labor and societal issues, following in the footsteps of figures like Chen Nianxi and Fan Yusu.
