Chinese reader here. When I was in college about 11 or 12 years ago, a previous version of it is considered as one of our textbooks for the Operating System course. Most assignment and homework is about to add or modify some modules into kernel 0.11.
The most terrible fact about GFW is that it makes people forget they have a chance to access the other part of internet. Most netizens here don't even have a idea to cross it.
Very sad. Though I have an alternative apple account outside CN, prepared for this long time ago, it still brings me some inconvenience. These days you can't trust any mega corp, they will eventually store our (Chinese citizen's) data in CN.
Another explanation is the upcoming 19th National Congress of CCP. Recently many policies have been published to restrict freedom of speech, indicating the leader now might desire another 5 year presidency.
Zhengzhou was a ghost city and hasn't been a capital for more than 2000 years. Its developing to major city in China in the modern sense only begins in 20th century, after the railway traffic prosperous here.