What started as a light-hearted adventure among Chinese students searching for soup dumplings has quickly evolved into a government-monitored event. Over the weekend, more than 100,000 students joined the “Night Riding Army” in Henan province, biking 37 miles from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng.
This massive night-time gathering, first popularized on social media in June, became an outlet for students facing high unemployment to explore and unwind together.
The movement’s explosive growth led to traffic standstills on major highways and overwhelmed the small city of Kaifeng, known for its cultural history and famous soup dumplings. While state media initially praised the gatherings as “a symbol of youthful energy,” government concerns soon shifted toward fears that the movement could lead to organized dissent.
Authorities have since imposed traffic restrictions, restricted bike rentals and issued warnings at universities in an attempt to curb further gatherings.
However, some students defied government restrictions, continuing the ride by walking or using scooters to complete the journey to Kaifeng. The movement has become symbolic for many young people, who view it as one of the few ways to participate in a self-organized event in modern China.