Extensive research has highlighted that the availability of formal education in modern China has been impeded by several factors, including social instability, unequal diplomatic relations, and financial constraints. Nevertheless, ongoing educational system reforms have emphasized the promotion of gymnastics, particularly military gymnastics, within school curricula. The implementation of gymnastics carries significant implications for cultivating “regularity and coordinated habits” among citizens. Moreover, these cultivated habits foster a collective sense of “collectivism” and “nationalism” among individuals, yielding profound effects on the cultivation of national unity in a society marred by turbulence. Considering these factors, this study focuses on the educational system reforms in modern China spanning the period from 1900 to 1920, with a specific examination of the transformations that occurred within military-style gymnastics during this era.