It formed when extension began in the Miocene or Pliocene, separating the crust into the Ordos Block from the North China Craton.

The reason for extension in this part of China is still debated although the most agreed hypothesis is crustal deformation resulting from the India-Asia collision involving the Indian and Eurasian plates along the Main Himalayan Thrust in the Himalayas, causing the rotation of crustal blocks in China.

Other hypotheses are slab rollback of the Pacific plate as it subducts along the east coast of Japan, or localised intraplate tectonics.

[4] Dip-slip and strike-slip earthquakes in North China are consistent with ongoing crustal extension along the Shanxi Rift System.

Both faults have shallow dipping angles in the east and west direction, and have a normal slip sense.

[6] It has an estimated magnitude of Ms  7.0 and China seismic intensity scale rating of IX (Destructive).