A night cycling trend went viral this month as tens of thousands of college students in Henan Province biked 50 kilometers to a neighboring city for a taste of its famous soup dumplings, known as guantangbao.
The trend began in June, when four young women studying in the provincial capital of Zhengzhou cycled to Kaifeng at night for the popular snack and shared their adventure online. Their journey inspired others, and by November, the trend had reached its peak. Between November 1 and 4, an estimated 17,000 students made the ride. By November 8, the number had surged, with as much as an estimated 200,000 students cycling from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng. Because the return trip was uphill, many chose to ditch their bikes and take the train, media reported.
The spectacle drew admiration for its display of youthful energy, but the cyclists on the road also led to complaints over increased traffic. Authorities in both Kaifeng and Zhengzhou have since taken measures, including deploying police and closing bike lanes, to control the craze.
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