Lin Hei’er, more commonly known as Huanglien Shengmu (Holy Mother of the Yellow Lotus), is the most well-known leader of the Red Lanterns. One account tells that Lin Hei’er became involved in anti-foreign activities after her husband, Li You, was jailed in 1900 and later died following a conflict with a foreigner.Ono, Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution, 1850-1950, 51. A different account suggests that her father-in-law was imprisoned, not her husband.Paul A. Cohen, History in Three Keys: The Boxers as Event, Experience, and Myth, ACLS Fellows’ Publications (New York: Columbia University Press, 1997), 271. In either case, her rebellious activities were inspired by the imprisonment and subsequent death of a loved one after a bad encounter with a foreigner. She traveled to Tianjin with Boxer leader Zhang Decheng where she began assembling women to form the Red Lanterns. On a slat boat along the Grand Canal, she flew a flag saying Holy Mother of the Yellow Lotus. Here, it was reported that she created an altar, attracted women to join the Red Lanterns, and cured the sick.Ono, Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution, 1850-1950, 51-52.
