Born in 1979, Hu Anyan grew up in Guangzhou, the dynamic capital of southern China’s Guangdong province. His life’s experiences run parallel to the historical context of his parents’ early lives growing up in Maoist China. Hu’s mother, who had just completed middle school, faced the Cultural Revolution’s vicious ordeal, as the authorities forced her to a rural area. At the same time, his father joined the People’s Liberation Army at only 16 years old. These early life experiences ingrained in Hu a strong work ethic, determination, and willingness to innovate. Both of his parents spent their entire working lives in the same professions, never switching employers.
As a child, Hu had a hard time charting his own course. Laboring continuously under his almost 300 million strong Chinese internal migrant working class, he flew by the seat of his pants. His own path was varied across several professions. One of his most memorable jobs had him pulling the graveyard shift at a logistics warehouse in Guangdong, unpacking and re-packing parcels from seven PM to seven AM. Hu operated a women’s apparel shop in a busy urban shopping center in Nanning. As part of her research, she ran a deli in a small, rural county in Yunnan.
In 2018, Hu began working as a deliveryman. Most challenging of all was the searing pace he had to maintain, delivering at the rate of one every four minutes. That high-stakes, breakneck environment would prove the perfect incubator for his philosophical ruminations on life and work. Between March 2018 and November 2019, he went through hell and then some. He savored the brotherhood of being included in a largely invisible valiant workforce perched between society and nature.
In 2020, Hu puts these experiences into words by documenting a day in the life of a courier on his blog. This writing touched so many and spread like wildfire around the internet. It resonated with everyday Americans who were feeling just as lost and discouraged. His honest ruminations brought peace to those readers who thought they were the only ones going through a hard time.
Emboldened by his success, he penned a memoir, I Deliver Parcels in Beijing. It was originally published in Chinese back in April 2023. The book quickly climbed to non-fiction bestseller, proving Hu’s gift for raw and honest story-telling continues to resonate with readers.
“They feel their confusions, worries and doubts can be comforted by my book,” – Hu Anyan
Hu’s memoir, Delivering Justice, vividly recalls Hu’s experiences as a courier. What makes the novel really special is its deep themes of love, despair, and self-esteem. As he looks back on his life, he laments how, with all his occupations, he was never actually satisfied.
“No matter what job I did, I didn’t achieve anything and I couldn’t do it for long. Then I kept covering up the pain, which made me worry about my own self-worth,” – Hu
His writing reveals an understanding that many feel trapped in monotonous routines, echoing his own thoughts during his time as a courier.
“You deliver a package on your first day of work, and you deliver a package on your last day of work. You might learn to deliver things a little bit quicker in between, but there is not much difference,” – Hu
Even though Hu was overwhelmed, he was able to create comfort and meaning through his pen. He was not aiming high to begin with, he was just trying to be himself.
“I didn’t feel that I needed to achieve something in writing,” – Hu
In his memoir, Hu takes literary inspiration from the great works that have shaped him. He quotes Virginia Woolf, who wrote about enduring challenges with grace:
“All had been bitterness and struggle, except that she had loved Shakespeare, known Swift, and kept through all the shifts and shades of an adventurous career a gay spirit,” – Virginia Woolf (quoted by Hu)
For Hu, literature has provided an escape and strength. He believes in the power of words to illuminate life’s complexities:
“Love amid despair – this is the light that illuminates life,” – Hu
In short, from his time as a courier, Hu realized the need to grow and what it means to keep learning and seeking new information. He painted a picture where each position was an opportunity for self-improvement.
“You learn new things and master new knowledge. You feel you are gaining growth and progress,” – Hu
His story, from an almost-homeless delivery guy to an internationally successful writer, is one of grit, realness, and a life lived appropriately — unapologetically. Hu writes powerfully about his experiences, and that recognition is richly deserved. His soulful thoughts have created a vibrant community of readers who look to his writing for solace and peace of mind.