護法運動
In 1923, allying with the Yunnan and Guangxi cliques, Sun Yat-sen's army defeated Chen Jiongming and occupied Guangzhou. However, Sun broke the promises of his Constitutional Protection Movement to govern along the lines of the old Chinese constitution. Instead, a conscription law was passed and property from temples was confiscated for sale by the state, both angering many citizens. The government also began issuing large sums of money, driving up inflation. Due to its huge military expenses, the Nationalist government had to revoke Chen Jiongming's prohibition on gambling. These governmental decisions dissatisfied the local populace to a large extent.