On March 18, a video of Tao Wenjun, a graduate of the Sociology Department of Peking University, delivering food, once again ignited public discussion on the issue of youth unemployment.
The viral video shows a young man wearing a Meituan delivery outfit saying that he is a graduate of Peking University with a score of 660 in the college entrance examination in 2021, ranking in the top 100 in Anhui. He was admitted to Peking University to study sociology. Due to reasons related to his major and career planning, he couldn’t find a suitable job after graduating from Peking University. He stayed at home for half a year, couldn’t sleep at night, and eventually chose to deliver food.
Upon the release of the video, it quickly drew attention online.
On March 18, the platform Meituan responded, confirming the existence of a rider named Tao Wenjun who registered in early December 2025, completed 5 deliveries on December 9, and had no record of completing any orders thereafter. Meituan platform also stated that the registration process for delivery riders is simple and does not require the submission of educational qualifications, therefore the platform does not hold information on the rider’s educational background.
According to mainland media reports, Tao Wenjun did participate in the college entrance examination in 2021, scoring 660 to become the top student in the liberal arts in Anqing City, Anhui Province, and was admitted to the Sociology major at Peking University. Mainland media heavily criticized Tao Wenjun for using a prestigious university to attract attention and traffic.
That evening, Tao Wenjun released another video response saying, “A few months ago, I delivered food casually and recorded my thoughts at that time. I posted it today, unexpectedly it went viral. Why deliver food? The main reason is not as everyone thinks, just to attract attention, or because I couldn’t find a job. Delivering food is completely a way of self-redemption… I will continue to deliver today and tomorrow, when I’m happy or unhappy, I’ll keep delivering.”
After releasing the new video, Tao Wenjun deleted the previous video about his struggles in finding a job and resorting to delivering food.
According to “Jixiang News,” Tao Wenjun expressed his intention to continue delivering food in the Zhongguancun area. Regarding Meituan’s official statement that he had no delivery records after December 9 last year, he said, “I just returned to Beijing.”
On March 19, Tao Wenjun delivering food became a hot topic on the top search in Weibo.
Many netizens agree with the mainland media’s opinion, believing that Tao Wenjun is using the prestigious university to attract attention and traffic.
However, more netizens are concerned about the harsh reality of graduates being unemployed immediately after university, saying, “It’s not uncommon for highly educated individuals to deliver food. Some choose it, while others have no choice.” “If Peking University graduates are struggling, how can graduates from ordinary universities survive?” “Peking University graduates have also started competing with other riders for a living.”
Political commentator Cai Shunkun posted on the social platform X, saying, “On March 18, the topic of ‘Peking University graduate turned delivery rider’ trended on the hot search. The person involved, Tao Wenjun, was the top student in liberal arts in Anqing in 2021. He admitted delivering food was a ‘self-redemption’ after ‘losing his goal.’ The stark contrast between the elite prestige of top universities and the labor-intensive bottom layer quickly struck a nerve with the public. This contrast reflects the increasingly severe employment reality. Today, even holding a diploma from a top university, whether it’s a 985 or overseas institution, does not guarantee a stable job.”
“For example, in the recruitment process of securities firms, entering entry-level positions is ‘rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns’ now, not only focusing on academic qualifications but also resources. Looking back ten years ago, when the China Securities Regulatory Commission went to the US for talent, if a relative’s niece wanted to return to Beijing, just sending a message would solve it. If it were now, even trying to get the chairman’s attention might not work.”