Cao Futian

Cao Futian was a charismatic Chinese leader of the Yìhéquán, or Boxers who organized attacks on Chinese Christians and foreign missionaries during the late Qing dynasty's Boxer movement. When the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance forced the imperial court to change from support of the Boxers to suppression, government troops captured and beheaded him in 1901.

Biography

Little is known of the early life of Cao Futian but he was born in the mid-19th century, in Jinghai, Zhili province, China. and he raised a militia in Tiānjīn, most of whom were illiterate, such as laid-off railway workers, religious cult followers, criminals, and unemployed youth. Cao hated foreigners because of the establishment of the foreign concessions, but even more because of the actions of missionaries who spread Christianity and undermined Chinese religions. He thought Chinese Christians should be expelled for polluting Chinese culture. At the meeting, the crown prince even wore a Boxer uniform to show allegiance.

Cao Futian was also a spiritual leader, and many believed he had divine abilities. He and Zhang Decheng, another Boxer leader, were said to be able to make himselves disappear, and to have powers of bilocation. In 1900, he set up headquarters at 18 Hejia Lane, Ruyyi'an Street of Hongqiao District, Tiānjīn, at a temple venerating Lü Dongbin. The building is now the Memorial Hall of the Boxer Uprising (Lü Zu Tang). On 14 July 1900, Tiānjīn was captured by the Allied forces of the Eight-Nation Alliance after a three-day battle. Cao Futian had to flee to Jinghai, but in May 1901 government forces captured him. He was then beheaded for conspiring to stir up conflict.