Ma Xianda

Ma Xianda was born in 1932 to a Muslim Hui family in Hebei whose association with martial arts goes back six generations. Ma Xianba was taught by his father Ma Fengtu and uncle Ma Yintu. He is only one of four living masters to have reached the highest level of Chinese martial arts (Ninth Duan).

In the course of his life, Ma has studied many traditional forms of wushu, including tongbeiquan, piguaquan, bajiquan, bashanfen, and cuojiao. He has also studied Western boxing, wrestling and fencing. Ma has coached the International Wushu champion Zhao Changjun, and taught Jet Li the Chinese martial art of fanziquan. Ma's sons, Ma Yue and Ma Lun, are national champions and noted masters. More than twenty of Ma's close students have earned the coveted title of Wu Yin or "martial hero," a title conferred on athletes who have repeatedly placed in the top three positions in national competition.