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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K899: The Night Riders: China's Viral Dumpling Adventure
Highlights 主題摘要：
- A simple social media post about four students' night bike ride for dumplings transformed into a massive youth movement, demonstrating how small actions can catalyze significant social phenomena.
- The unprecedented scale of participation (100,000 students) led to infrastructure challenges and regulatory responses, highlighting the tension between spontaneous youth culture and urban management.
- Despite authorities' restrictions and criticism, students' determination to continue the journey by walking reflects the resilient spirit of youth and their desire for authentic shared experiences.
In an unprecedented display of youth culture, what began as a simple quest for famous soup dumplings has evolved into a remarkable social phenomenon in central China. The movement started in June when four university students from Zhengzhou documented their late-night bicycle journey to Kaifeng, a historic city renowned for its oversized soup dumplings called "guan tang bao." Their social media posts sparked a trend that would soon capture the imagination of thousands of young Chinese, united under the inspiring motto "youth is priceless, night ride to Kaifeng has it." The adventure quickly gained traction among students seeking both culinary delights and memorable experiences.
在一場前所未有的青年文化展現中，一個源於尋找知名湯包的簡單任務，演變成為中國中部引人矚目的社會現象。這個活動始於六月，當時四位來自鄭州的大學生記錄了他們夜騎到開封的歷程，開封是一座以超大湯包「灌湯包」聞名的古城。他們在社群媒體上的貼文引發了一股潮流，很快就吸引了數千名中國年輕人的想像力，他們團結在「青春沒有售價，夜騎開封拿下」的激勵口號之下。這場冒險很快在尋求美食與難忘經驗的學生間蔓延開來。
The trend reached its peak on a Friday night when an estimated 100,000 students, mostly using shared bikes, embarked on the 50-kilometer journey between the two cities. The massive convoy of cyclists filled the six-lane Zhengkai avenue, creating an extraordinary scene of solidarity and youth spirit. Students sang together, encouraged one another during uphill stretches, and shared in the collective adventure. Liu Lulu, a student at Henan University, described the experience as more than just a bike ride, emphasizing the passionate energy that permeated throughout the group. The night-time journey became a symbol of youth empowerment and collective determination.
這股潮流在某個週五晚上達到高峰，據估計有十萬名學生，大多騎著共享單車，踏上了這段五十公里的雙城之旅。大規模的自行車隊伍填滿了六線道的鄭開大道，形成了一幅展現團結與青春活力的非凡景象。學生們一同歡唱，在上坡時互相打氣，共享這場集體冒險。河南大學的學生劉露露（音譯）形容這不僅僅是一場單車之旅，更強調了貫穿整個群體的熱情能量。這場夜騎之旅成為了青年權能與集體決心的象徵。
However, the unprecedented scale of participation brought significant challenges to both cities involved. The ancient city of Kaifeng quickly reached its capacity, with accommodations, restaurants, and public spaces overwhelmed by the sudden influx of visitors. Local authorities were forced to implement immediate measures, including temporary restrictions on roads and cycle paths. Bike-sharing applications announced they would remotely lock any bicycles taken outside designated zones in Zhengzhou, while some universities introduced stricter regulations, such as requiring students to obtain passes before leaving campus. Police officers used loudspeakers to manage the crowd and offered free bus services for those needing to return.
然而，這前所未有的參與規模為兩座城市帶來了重大挑戰。古城開封很快就達到了接待極限，住宿、餐廳和公共空間都被突如其來的訪客潮擠爆。地方當局被迫實施緊急措施，包括對道路和自行車道實施臨時管制。共享單車應用程式宣布，若單車駛離鄭州指定區域就會遠端上鎖，一些大學也實施了更嚴格的規定，例如要求學生必須申請通行證才能離校。警察使用擴音器管理人群，並為需要返回的人提供免費巴士服務。
The phenomenon has sparked intense debate across Chinese social media platforms and traditional media outlets. While many celebrate this expression of youth culture and adventure, others critique the lack of proper infrastructure and planning to support such large-scale spontaneous events. What started as a celebrated tourism boost for Kaifeng, initially endorsed by state media, has transformed into a complex situation requiring careful management. Despite the restrictions, some determined students have adapted by choosing to walk the distance, embodying the resilient spirit of youth. As one student posted on social media, "It's so good to be young, this is youth!" The night-riding trend has since spread to other major Chinese cities, though none have yet witnessed crowds matching the scale of the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng phenomenon, which stands as a testament to the unexpected ways youth culture can reshape urban experiences.
這個現象在中國社群媒體平台和傳統媒體上引發了激烈討論。當許多人讚揚這種青年文化和冒險精神的表現時，也有人批評缺乏適當的基礎設施和規劃來支持如此大規模的自發性活動。這個最初被官方媒體認可，作為開封旅遊業助推器的活動，已演變成需要謹慎管理的複雜情況。儘管有種種限制，一些堅定的學生改為步行，展現了青春不屈的精神。正如一位學生在社群媒體上發文：「年輕真好，這就是青春！」夜騎潮流已經蔓延到其他中國主要城市，雖然還沒有城市的人潮規模能匹敵鄭州－開封的現象，但依然展現了青年文化如何以意想不到的方式重塑城市體驗。
Keyword Drills 關鍵字：
- Historic (His-tor-ic) [adjective. important in history or from the past]: Kaifeng, a historic city renowned for its oversized soup dumplings called "guan tang bao."
- Empowerment (Em-pow-er-ment) [noun. giving someone the power to do something]: The night-time journey became a symbol of youth empowerment and collective determination.
- Designated (Des-ig-nat-ed) [adjective. chosen for a specific purpose]: Bike-sharing applications announced they would remotely lock any bicycles taken outside designated zones.
- Infrastructure (In-fra-struc-ture) [noun. basic systems like roads and bridges that a city needs]: Others critique the lack of proper infrastructure and planning to support such large-scale events.
- Testament (Tes-ta-ment) [noun. something that proves something else is true]: The Zhengzhou-Kaifeng phenomenon stands as a testament to how youth culture can reshape urban experiences.
Reference article:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/11/china-midnight-dumpling-bike-ride-zhengzhou-kaifeng
2. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-clamps-down-quest-soup-dumplings-by-night-riding-army-2024-11-11/