An unusual youth trend is gaining popularity in China – night cycling marathons for tang bao dumplings. The movement, which began with a trip by four students, has turned into a large-scale social phenomenon, pravilamag.ru reports with reference to The Guardian.

The story began in the summer, when a group of students from Zhengzhou University made a 50-kilometer bike ride to the ancient city of Kaifeng to taste the famous steamed dumplings with broth. Sharing their impressions on social networks under the hashtag “Youth is priceless, a night ride to Kaifeng is it,” they inspired thousands of followers.

Initially, local authorities welcomed the initiative, seeing in it the potential for the development of domestic tourism. The students were even given free access to the city's attractions. However, the scale of the movement exceeded all expectations: the number of participants reached 200 thousand people in one day.

The massive influx of cyclists has caused serious problems: traffic jams have formed, streets are filled with garbage and abandoned bicycles. The authorities have had to impose restrictions on the roads and reduce bicycle rentals. Despite this, the enthusiasm of young people does not fade – some are even ready to walk the distance for the sake of the famous pelmeni.