China's “Night Riding Army” snarls traffic in search of soup dumplings

“We wanted to join in on the madness”

Ji Pengbo, a 19-year-old college freshman studying architectural engineering in Zhengzhou, said he and two friends took part in the night ride after class on Friday after seeing the trend on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

In particular, the event's slogan – “Youth is priceless” – motivated him to take part, Ji said. “It all seemed so wild to us and we wanted to join in on the madness!”

Along the way, Ji said, were a legion of other university students, as well as police officers maintaining order and some people providing free water.

“As I drove all the way to Kaifeng in the cool evening breeze, I felt the exhilaration of speed. All around me, I could hear the cheers of passengers, the hum of the wheels and the sound of our breathing,” Ji said in an interview on Monday.

“Some people fell but got up and kept going,” he said.

But that feeling may have been short-lived.

Police in Henan imposed traffic restrictions on Saturday afternoon.

They closed non-motorized lanes on the main road connecting the two cities until midday Sunday, citing safety concerns.

On the same day, the three largest bike-sharing platforms in China asked users not to use the vehicles in Zhengzhou outside the operating areas, including Kaifeng.