[1][2][3] Ma was born in a family of merchants in Beijing on 11 August 1945, with his ancestral home in Wucheng County, Shandong, he is of Hui people ethnicity, he is the third child of four children.

At the age of 5, Ma started to studied Chinese martial arts.

[citation needed] Ma studied at the High School Affiliated to Minzu University of China.

After finished, Ma worked in the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater as an actor.

[citation needed] In early 1982, Director Yang Jie invited Ma to act Zhu Bajie in Journey to the West, by the age of 37.