Some Chinese citizens disliked the presence of Western countries and cultures in China, for example, Christian Missionaries spreading Christianity. A group mainly consisting of peasants from Shandong and Zhili in northern China was formed with the idea of resisting foreign influences in China. The anti-Christian and anti-foreign group was called the Boxers. The name comes from a ritual practiced by them before battle that resembles what we know as box.
In 1989, the Dowager Empress Ci Xi, the emperor's aunt, staged a group and took over China. From that moment on, she held power over China. The main motivation for her overthrow was her opposition to a movement of modernization and reform in China. She was a key character in the Boxer Rebellion, because she supported their cause and, therefore, provided them with Imperial support in their attacks.
In May of 1989, the Boxers were mentioned in an official government report for the first time. The report mentioned an anti-Christian violence in Shandong province, mainly directed to churches, European missionaries, and Chinese Converts. When it comes to the Boxers' intentions and motivations, there are two main theories. One theory suggests that the Boxers started as a anti-Qing group, and later on begun to support Qing instead. The other theory says that they were never anti-Qing. Both theories, however, point out that the Boxers were always anti-Christian and anti-foreign.