He then joined the Kansu Braves, serving under Ma Haiyan, fought against the foreigners in the Boxer Rebellion at the Battle of Peking (1900) and helped guard the Imperial Court when it evacuated to Xi'an.

[3] Their forces retreated to the capital of Yushu county, Jiegue, under Ma Biao to defend it against the Tibetans while the Republic of China government under Chiang Kai-shek was petitioned for military aid like wireless telegraphs, money, ammunition and rifles.

Ma Xun was sent to reinforce the Qinghai forces and accompanied by propagandists while mobile films, and medical treatment provided by doctors to awe the primitive Tibetan locals.Ma Xun reinforced Jiegu after Ma Biao fought for more than two months against the Tibetans.

Ma Biao seized thousands of silver dollars worth of items from local nomads as retribution for them assisting the invading Tibetan army.

The stature of Ma Biao rose over his role in the war and later in 1937 his battles against the Japanese propelled him to fame nationwide in China.

The control of China over the border area of Kham and Yushu with Tibet was guarded by the Qinghai army.

Chinese Muslim run schools used their victory in the war against Tibet to show how they defended the integrity of China's territory as it was put in danger since the Japanese invasion.

Ethnic Turkic Salar Muslims made up the majority of the first cavalry division which was sent by Ma Bufang.

Ma Biao and his fight against the Japanese were hailed at the schools of the Islam Progressive Council of Qinghai.

The emphasis on military training in schools and their efforts to defend China were emphasized in Kunlun magazine by Muslims.

[3] I am eager to stomp on the dwarf devils (A derogatory term for Japanese), I will give vengeance for the already dead martyrs, achieving glory with the younger generation."

When they defeated the Japanese, the Muslim troops slaughtered all of them except for a few prisoners to send back to Qinghai prove that they were victorious.

The Japanese could not even pick up their dead, they instead cut an arm from their corpses limbs for cremation to send back to Japan.