“Night Ride Kaifeng” event that was supposed to stimulate the local economy and tourism operations has hit the brakes abruptly by the Chinese Communist authorities. Major universities in Zhengzhou and nearby cities shut down for one night, revealing a soft spot in the Chinese Communist Party, with some political and economic observers suggesting that the CCP is creating enemies for itself.
Since early November, the enthusiasm for university students in Zhengzhou to “night ride” to Kaifeng has gained widespread participation from students and citizens. However, on November 9, the event was suddenly halted. Shared bike platforms, traffic police, schools, Kaifeng scenic spots, and media outlets all changed their tune.
On November 9, three major shared bike platforms jointly announced: “Cross-regional rides will be forcibly locked.” In the afternoon of the 9th, traffic police in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng implemented temporary restrictions on non-motor vehicle lanes on Zheng Kai Avenue sections in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng.
According to information obtained by Epoch Times, universities in Zhengzhou are mostly closed now, with most schools in nearby cities also closed or restricting students from leaving campus.
A student from a university in Zhengzhou told Epoch Times, “Yesterday (9th), all schools suddenly closed. It’s probably for control and to prevent riding. Now all schools in Zhengzhou are closed.”
“We usually finish classes on Fridays and go home on Saturdays and Sundays. But because of the Zhengzhou university students’ ‘night ride to Kaifeng’ event, we are now forced to return to campus. The school is closed. I estimate that once things calm down, they will reopen the school after the hype dies down.”
A student studying in Luoyang told Epoch Times, “I study in Luoyang, and my school is afraid for us to go out, so they have closed off the campus. Our school doesn’t allow students to go night riding, so they might use this opportunity to restrict us from going elsewhere. Students are not allowed to leave campus; if they do, they must seek permission from counselors. While leave is possible, it’s uncertain when this situation will end.”
Rumors have been circulating online that a college in Henan has already closed its campus, requiring exit permits to leave.
A notice from a university in Xuchang states: Curfew at 10 p.m., students must be in their dorms before 10 p.m., and they must clock in three times a day.
A resident of Zhengzhou, Mr. Li, expressed to Epoch Times that shared bikes are not allowed to ride outside the fourth ring road of Zhengzhou. Anyone riding beyond the fourth ring for more than three minutes will be blocked. Since riding is not permitted, a large number of people have resorted to walking to Kaifeng. A 50 km walk would take approximately ten hours. Most of them are students seeking freedom.
Mr. Dong, a retired military serviceman from a police station in Luoyang, shared with Epoch Times his experience of attempting to ride but finding roads blocked due to overcrowding in Kaifeng. He mentioned that Kaifeng exceeded its capacity to handle the influx of people, predominantly university students.
He continued, “Yesterday (November 8), they stopped people from going. The roads were closed yesterday and remained so until 12 a.m. today. There were more people on weekends than weekdays.”
Initially, the authorities supported “Night Ride Kaifeng” as a business opportunity, following commercial logic as seen in the recent trend of popular Zibo barbecue and Tianshui spicy hotpot. In addition to vigorous promotion by local cultural and tourism departments, the official media outlets of the CCP also contributed to the momentum.
Reports from Zhengzhou Daily on November 4 emphasized how Zheng Kai Avenue can meet the needs of night riders; Guangming Daily on November 5 applauded the event as a “two-way dash” showcasing “vitality, passion, and youthfulness;” and the official CCP media, People’s Daily on the 5th also hailed “Night Ride Kaifeng” with slogans like “Buy osmanthus flowers while sharing wine, unlike youth wandering.”
Zheng Kai Avenue has patrolling traffic police and shared bikes from three companies that not only operate across cities but also provide shared bike transfer points. Zhengzhou’s malls have set up bike stations where riders can gather free drinking water.
A hospital in Kaifeng also prepared resting beds, free food, buses to scenic spots for university students, and even offered free acupuncture and therapy services for those feeling unwell.
Mr. Li mentioned, “Many people rode their own bikes in groups. Many kids here went, some even used skateboards. Even some middle-aged people rode to Kaifeng these days, it’s quite lively. Seeing them riding, it made me happy too.”
He further reflected, “What happy things are there now? Every day feels repressed and stifled with the right job hard to find, work pressures high, business performance poor. Always hearing officials lying, very stifling. If everyone rides together, the happy atmosphere will be contagious.”
Mr. Dong added, “Seeing those university students aged 18-19, aren’t they just like you ten years ago? Ten years ago, we were passionate and enthusiastic. Now, once you start working, there’s no motivation left; everyone feels lifeless. Who wouldn’t want to experience that atmosphere again? Nowadays, the pressures are immense; life is too overwhelming, and the economy is bad.”
As for the sudden brakes by the authorities, Mr. Li expressed confusion. He believed they shouldn’t restrict it; even if Kaifeng can’t accommodate the crowds, people are willing to go there. There shouldn’t be issues with availability of food and drinks, as essentials like instant noodles and bread are easily accessible.
He added, “If riding shared bikes too far is the concern, isn’t there a regulation for that? Charge extra; regulate it with market measures directly. Our freedom of movement shouldn’t be interfered with.”
“Riding brings happiness; exercise naturally brings joy. It feels very stifling now because schools are overly controlling, meddling in unnecessary matters, neglecting the essentials, and letting students engage in unnecessary things.”
An internal notice from a Henan university circulating on an overseas platform revealed that according to official reports, the number of people night riding to Kaifeng has exceeded 200,000, including bikes, motorcycles, cars, social participants, and even “sinister anti-social elements and overseas hostile individuals.”
Mr. Liang, a political and economic observer who closely monitors China, told Epoch Times that the CCP’s social governance shows a clear tendency to imitate and perpetuate some practices for the future.
“During the epidemic, makeshift hospitals were utilized to the fullest. Many people are unaware that they are a continuation of the policy for forced admissions in Xinjiang concentration camps targeting Uighurs. The current school closures are also a continuation of epidemic management measures. With the ongoing economic downturn and facing collective student actions, school closures will likely be frequently employed in the future.”
Another political and economic observer, Mr. Li Yuxiu, mentioned on X platform that no amount of talk about freedom compares to letting young people experience it. Freedom is not just addictive; when young people collectively experience freedom, they also feel a kind of public enthusiasm. This is the suppressed part of their personalities.
“Whether it’s Halloween or night riding to Kaifeng, these events didn’t have a political agenda initially. The young participants had no political motivations, but the authorities were impatient, making the event public and political.”
“You have created enemies yourself (CCP), your imagination has been a great help.”
(Epoch Times translation)