Authorities in China are cracking down on a popular new fad – nighttime bike riding – after tens of thousands of students and others clogged highways and streets between the cities of Zhengzhou and Kaifeng in central Henan province.
Kaifeng is known for its historic sites and famous dumplings, and the trend of making the 80-kilometer (50-mile) trek between the two cities peaked in popularity over the past week with some estimating that as many as 200,000 set out on a “Night Ride to Kaifeng” last Friday.
In response, schools are instituting curfews, police are shutting down bike lanes in the name of public safety and many on social media are debating whether the mass movement was just an expression of youthful lust for life, government policy gone wrong or a subtle form of protest. Or perhaps a mix of all of the above.
In video posts on social media, many waved Chinese flags and sang the national anthem while Kaifeng residents lined up along the route to welcome them. No anti-government or other signs or slogans could be seen.
Some observers compared the scale of “Night Ride to Kaifeng” gatherings to the “White Paper Movement” during the pandemic, when thousands took to the streets holding up blank sheets of paper to voice their frustration with China’s stringent COVID-19 lockdowns and policies.
On the rides, one rider was seen flying a flag that read “Freedom” while others waved China’s flag or held signs that read: “The reunification of the motherland is essential and inevitable.” There were no protests during the rides, but when many cyclists finished the trek they abandoned their bicycles, clogging city streets.
Chen, a student in Zhengzhou who did not want to give his full name for fear of government reprisal, said he saw the cycling convoy on Nov. 8 as it left the capital.
He told VOA that while students on the surface were showing their patriotism, the overall atmosphere was rather “eerie.”
“Indeed, many people were holding the [Chinese] national flag and singing the national anthem, but they didn’t look proud; instead, most of them were expressionless,” Chen said. “And it wasn’t even a particularly significant day, so why this display? It’s very thought-provoking.”
Chen said that while the students should have cycled the bikes back to Zhengzhou after reaching Kaifeng, they didn’t. Bikeshare services allow users to pick up and drop off bicycles anywhere but typically they are used in a set place such as a town or city.
“My friends in Kaifeng told me that after sunrise, the city was filled with abandoned shared bikes,” he said.
Online many were critical of the cyclists and the chaos the nighttime bike ride created. Others noted that Kaifeng residents welcomed the cyclists.
One Weibo user, Fan Jianchuan, said everyone has their own opinion of the trend.
“Students, parents, teachers, local residents, tourism bureaus, police departments, traffic police, education bureaus, urban management, municipal authorities, shared bike companies, tourist spots, restaurants and so on all have their own perspectives and statements on it,” Fan wrote.
“As someone who was once young, I understand the enthusiasm of youth. If I were a university student, I would join my classmates for a carefree ride too. But as an experienced “mayor” (honorary), I am more concerned with public order, public safety, public transportation and public hygiene. So, there’s no problem with cycling as long as it’s done in an orderly manner.”
The night cycling activity has been fully halted, and many universities in Henan have implemented curfews, sparking strong backlash among students.
Several universities in Henan notified students to return to campus by a set deadline and announced lockdown measures prohibiting students from leaving. Some universities informed students that the Henan Provincial Department of Education and school administrators believed a large number of people and even “anti-social elements” or “foreign adversaries” had joined last week’s night ride.
There were also unsubstantiated claims circulating on China’s social media that authorities characterized the students’ actions as a “political movement,” and some universities compared the night ride to the past “riots in Hong Kong.”
To “cool down” the situation, many universities in Henan reportedly imposed strict closed management, with some even implementing full lockdowns, according to social media posts on Weibo and X. Online posts suggested that Henan University of Engineering introduced a temporary exit pass system that bars students from leaving campus unless absolutely necessary.
Staff at Henan Institute of Economics and Trade told VOA that parents need to contact school counselors for students to gain approval to leave campus. The Henan Provincial Department of Education did not answer the phone when VOA reached out for comment.
A graduate student from Shandong, surnamed Sun, criticized the response from Henan universities saying it was as if they were returning to pandemic-style lockdown measures. Sun did not want to give his full name while speaking freely to foreign media.
“The school’s management during the pandemic actually created many aftereffects. Every student had to scan their face to leave, which certainly made students uncomfortable. Why should I be subjected to this control just for going off-campus? The school’s management is irrational and lacks justification.”
On Nov. 9, traffic police in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng issued notices temporarily banning nonmotorized vehicles on Zhengkai Avenue — a main road that links the two cities. They also cited the need to clear roads occupied by shared bikes and other items to ensure safe passage.
Henan’s three major bike-sharing platforms, Hello, Qingju and Meituan, have announced that users may “not ride beyond designated areas.” If a user exceeds a set time limit, the bike will be automatically locked and a dispatch fee will be applied, according to regulations, the companies said in statements posted online.
Despite the government lockdown, some students say they feel proud when recalling their participation in the “Night Ride to Kaifeng.”
In a post on Weibo, HH’s Spiritual Wilderness wrote: “This journey might be absurd, but I’m glad we have the courage to go whenever we feel like it. After all, we’ll never be younger than we were yesterday. I dedicate this absurd trip to the memory of my irretrievable twenties. 2024.11.8-9 #NightRideToKaifeng#”
