Born: Unknown (first century BCE), China
Died: 18 CE
Country most active: China
Also known as: 呂母, Mother Lü
The following is excerpted from Infinite Women founder Allison Tyra’s book The View from the Hill: Women Who Made Their Mark After 40.
We don’t know for certain when Mother Lü was born during the Chinese Xin dynasty, but we know that her adult son was a local government official who was executed by the governor, ostensibly for a minor crime. In revenge, Lü Mǔ planned and executed an uprising, part of the Red Eyebrows uprising that started in 22 CE, named for the red warpaint the rebels wore on their foreheads. Tensions were high during this era, and she was able to rally thousands to her cause in what is now Rizhao, Shandong province. She used an unusual recruitment tactic: generosity. The wealthy Mother Lü gave gifts to those in need, and they were eager to repay her. Storming the local capital, Haiqu, she captured the magistrate responsible for her son’s death. When officials pleaded for mercy, she responded that he had not shown as much to her son, who did not deserve to die, whereas the magistrate should be put to death for killing those like her son. She beheaded him, reputedly offering the head to her son’s grave. Although she died not long after, the revolt continued and ultimately led to the downfall of the emperor who had usurped the Han throne, and restoration of the Han dynasty.