Ma Jianzhong

Ma was born in Dantu (丹徒), Jiangsu province to a prominent Chinese Catholic family.

Among other things, Ma helped to carry out Qing policy in Korea in 1880–82 and he took part in the arrest of Taewŏn'gun.

In 1884, he also became involved in the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, where he worked closely with Tong King-sing.

Ma is the author of Mashi Wentong (馬氏文通 "Basic principles for writing clearly and coherently by Mister Ma"), the first textbook of Chinese grammar written by a Chinese (there were already several grammars written by Westerners), published in 1898.

[3] Ma had been requested by Li Hongzhang, for whom he had previously worked for since 1880s to assist after the Eight-Nation Alliance stormed Beijing as part of the Boxer Rebellion[4] and died on August 4, 1900, in Shanghai.