According to historical records, as early as the Westernization Movement, the Qing court hired foreign teachers for the new army. At that time, due to the use of front-loading guns, the queue training was very strict, far higher than the current requirements. Foreign teachers also train queuing through "1234". Of course, some new troops teach in Britain and use English. If you are invited to teach in Germany, use German. It is not easy. Soldiers must learn a foreign language before they know all Chinese characters.

Later, after the fall of the Qing court, warlords began to train their own modern army. Who first put forward the Chinese slogan "1234" is impossible to verify, but it is recorded that Huangpu Military Academy began to use "1234".