Lin Yunan was born on December 15, 1898 in Linjiadawan, Huanggang, Hubei. In November 1919, he, Yun Daiying and others prepared to establish Liqun Publishing House in Wuhan, which became one of the important bases for spreading Marxism and new ideas in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. In July 1921, after learning of the birth of the Communist Party of China, he soon applied to join the party organization.

After the Party’s “National Congress”, Lin Yunan participated in the organizational work of the Wuhan branch of the China Labor Combination Secretariat and was actively engaged in the labor movement. He went to various stations in Xujiapeng and the northern section of Yuehan Road to investigate, understand the workers' sufferings, working conditions and demands, related the workers' miserable situation, and used easy-to-understand language to publicize revolutionary principles to the workers. After the First National Labor Conference, Lin Yunan served as director of the Wuhan branch of the China Labor Combination Secretariat. With the efforts of him, Xu Baihao, Xiang Ying and others, the Hanyang Iron Works Union, the Rickshaw Drivers Union, the Yangtze River Machinery Factory Union, and the Jiang'an Railway Branch More than 20 trade unions, including the labor union and Xujiapeng Railway Union, formed the "Wuhan Trade Union Federation". Lin Yunan also serves as the secretary and director of the association, and is responsible for all affairs of the association. The workers' movement in Wuhan quickly took the lead in the country.

As the Northern Expeditionary Army occupied Wuchang, Wuhan became the center of the Great Revolution. On January 1, 1927, the first representative conference of the Hubei Provincial Federation of Trade Unions was held. Lin Yunan was responsible for the preparations for the conference. Just as the meeting was being held, a bloody incident occurred in Hankou, where British sailors shot and killed Chinese compatriots. Lin Yunan was filled with indignation and delivered a passionate speech at the meeting, angrily denounced the criminal acts of imperialism and called on the people across the country to rise up and fight. Under the leadership and promotion of the Chinese Communists, the people of Wuhan occupied the British Concession and wrote a glorious page in the history of the Chinese revolution. Soon, the Fifth National Congress of the Party was held in Wuhan. Lin Yunan attended the meeting and was elected as an alternate member of the Central Committee.

Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Jingwei betrayed the revolution one after another, and the vigorous revolution failed. Under the severe white terror, Lin Yunan ignored his personal safety and risked being wanted by the enemy, and turned to the underground struggle. He successively served as the Propaganda Minister of the Hubei Provincial Committee and later the acting Secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee. He went deep into factories, streets and schools to mobilize the masses and persist in the struggle. He also published the party's secret publication "Yangtze River" to guide the work practice of the people across the province and inspire the revolutionary fighting spirit of the people across the province. He also participated in the leadership of the Autumn Harvest Riots in Hubei Province and visited various places on behalf of the provincial party committee to provide guidance.

At the end of 1927, Lin Yunan was ordered to move to Shanghai and join a new battle. On January 17, 1931, he was arrested by the reactionary authorities of the Kuomintang. In prison, Lin Yunan was unyielding, loyal to the party, and maintained his firm stance and noble character as a communist. Soon after, he died heroically in Longhua, Shanghai. After Lin Yunan's death, Zhou Enlai wrote a central announcement praising the heroic deeds of Lin Yunan and others. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Deng Xiaoping spoke highly of Lin Yunan in a document and instructions, pointing out: Lin Yunan is one of the oldest comrades in the party and a very good comrade.