China’s people, as is sometimes said, are “trying to breathe,” hoping to find some freedom from central control.

Four female college students in the central city of Zhengzhou tried to breathe in June 2024 as they decided to take an overnight 50-kilometer bike ride to Kaifeng, where they could enjoy a meal of soup dumplings. The craze caught on, and by November 100,000 young people were making the overnight treks.