Ma Xianda, wushu Ninth Duan, was a prominent Chinese martial arts master known for championing the combat and fighting aspects of traditional Chinesemartial arts and sanda, as opposed to the performance aspects of modern wushu. Ma was a leading practitioner of his family's martial arts system, Ma Style Tongbeiquan, which is composed of four traditional styles of wushu: Fanziquan, Piguaquan, Bajiquan, and Chuojiao. As of May 2002, when Kung Fu Magazine interviewed him around his 70th birthday, Ma was one of only four living masters to have achieved the highest level of wushu, Ninth Duan. Compared to most Chinese martial arts masters, Ma was unique in that he was one of the first Chinese to study the western martial sports of boxing, wrestling, and fencing. He often drew parallels between traditional Chinese and western principles of combat. Ma was recognized as one of China's "Top Ten Professors of Chinese Martial Arts" in 1995. As a leading practitioner, dedicated teacher, and influential scholar, Ma Xianda made a profound impact on the theory and practice of Chinese martial arts that continues to pervade the wushu community today.
Early Life
In 1932, Ma Xianda was born in Hebei to a Muslim Hui family with a longstanding background in Chinese martial arts. As the Ma family had studied and practiced martial arts for six generations, Ma Xianda learned from his father, Ma Fengtu, and uncle, Ma Yingtu. Both were also noted masters. In 1952, the first Chinese martial arts championship was held after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. At the young age of 19, Ma won three titles in the following fighting and performance events:
Ma Xianda's early wushu training and strong competition record prepared him for a lifelong career in Chinese martial arts. After graduating from Hebei Normal University, Ma took a position at Xi'an Physical Education University, where he became a full professor and taught wushu, boxing, and fencing. As a wushu professor, Ma wrote many books and papers on wushu. He edited the Zhongguo Wushu Da Cidian. For such tireless contributions, in 1995, Ma was recognized as one of China's "Top Ten Professors of Chinese Martial Arts." And in 1998, Ma was recognized as the youngest ever wushu Ninth Duan.
Students
During his career, Ma estimates that he has taught nearly 10,000 students, both Chinese and non-Chinese. While the sheer number of Ma's students is incredible, it is more important to note that many of his students attained a high skill level in martial arts, with over twenty of his close students earning the coveted title of Wu Ying, or "martial hero". Below are some of Ma Xianda's most notable students:
Ma Yue, wushu master and former taolu champion
Ma Lun, sanda coach and former sanda champion
Bai Hongshun, wushu Eighth Duan and former head of Xi'an Physical Education University's wushu department
Bai Wenxiang, coach of Shaanxi Wushu Team and wushu champion Zhao Changjun
