Following a long period of internal chaos and civil war known as the Warlord Era, China was forcibly reunified in the Kuomintang-led Northern Expedition (1926–1928).

Though he primarily wanted to regain his former territories,[4] Zhang also attempted to rally other warlords to launch a wider anti-Kuomintang movement in northern China.

[7] In February 1929, Zhang claimed that a coalition of warlords, including himself, Chu Yupu, Yan Xishan, Wu Peifu, Bai Chongxi, Qi Xieyuan, and a number Manchurian military commanders were preparing for a massive campaign against the Nationalist government.

One dissatisfied NRA regiment whose troops were of "northern origin"[10] and had formerly been part of the Shandong Army,[9] was stationed at the Yonghe Temple in Beijing.

[9] The revolt was launched on 2 March 1929,[10][11] when 20 armed men in plain-clothes captured and disarmed the Shanxi Army guards of the Yonghe Temple.

[1] The revolt received international attention, with newspapers in Australia,[9][12] the Straits Settlements,[1][13] and United States[10] reporting on it, and commending the local authorities for having acted so quickly and decisively in quelling the uprising.

[1] The Chinese government declared martial law in Beijing after the revolt,[11] and took "precautions" to keep control of the other ex-Shandong Army troops in the NRA.