The Tiananmen Mothers (Chinese: 天安门母亲) is a group of Chinese democracy activists promoting a change in the government's position over the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. It is led by Ding Zilin, a retired university professor whose teenage son was shot and killed by government troops during the protests. The group – comprising the parents, friends and relatives of victims of the massacre – formed in September 1989 when Ding, along with her husband Jiang Peikun, met another mother, Zhang Xianling, whose 19-year-old son was also killed on June 4, 1989.[1] As well as campaigning, the group also disseminates information about the events to the public, including through the internet.[1] Currently, the group consists of relatives of 125 individuals killed during the protests.[2] For her efforts, Ding has been hailed as an "advocate for the dead".[3]