Ma Bufang

Ma Bufang and his older brother Ma Buqing (1901–1977) were born in Monigou Township (漠泥沟乡) in what is today Linxia County, 35 km west of Linxia City.

Their father Ma Qi (马麒) formed the Ninghai Army in Qinghai in 1915, and received civilian and military posts from the Beiyang Government in Beijing confirming his military and civilian authority there.

His older brother Ma Buqing received a classical Chinese education, while Ma Bufang received education in Islam.

Ma Qi originally had Ma Bufang study to become an imam while his older brother Ma Buqing was educated in the military.

Ma Bufang studied until he was nineteen and then pursued a military career like his brother.

Ma Bufang controlled the Great Dongguan Mosque.

Ma was a graduate of the Officers' Training Corps of Qinghai.

Ma Bufang sided with Feng Yuxiang's Guominjun until the Central Plains War, when he switched to the winning side of Chiang Kai-shek.

Ma Qi died in 1931 and his power was assumed by his brother Ma Lin (马麟), who was appointed governor of Qinghai.

General Ma Lin held the position of civil Governor, while Ma Bufang was military Governor.

They feuded with, and disliked each other.

Ma Bufang was not admired by people as much as his uncle Ma Lin, whom the people adored.

In 1932, Ma Bufang's Muslim troops, and the Han Chinese general Liu Wenhui, defeated the 13th Dalai Lama's Tibetan armies when Tibet tried to invade Qinghai province.

Ma Bufang overran the Tibetan armies and recaptured several counties in Xikang province.

Shiqu, Dengke, and other counties were seized from the Tibetans who were pushed back to the other side of the Jinsha River.

Ma and Liu warned Tibetan officials not to cross the Jinsha River again.

A truce was signed ending the fighting.

The reputation of the Muslim forces of Ma Bufang was boosted by the war and victory against the Tibetan army.

In 1936, under the order of Chiang Kai-shek, and with the help of Ma Zhongying's remnant force in Gansu, and Ma Hongkui's and Ma Hongbin's force from Ningxia, Ma Bufang and his brother Ma Buqing played an important role in annihilating Zhang Guotao's 21,800 strong force that crossed the Yellow River in an attempt to expand the Communist base.

In 1936, Ma Bufang was appointed commander of the newly organized 2nd army.

In 1936, during Autumn, Ma Bufang made his move to expel his uncle from power and to replace him.

Ma Bufang made Ma Lin's position untenable and unbearable until he resigned from power by making the Hajj to Mecca.

Ma Lin's next position was to be part of the National Government Committee.

In an interview Ma Lin was described as having: "high admiration and unwavering loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek".

The Qing dynasty had granted his family a yellow standard which had his family name "Ma" on it.

Ma Bufang continued to use this standard in battle and, as of 1936, he had 30,000 Muslim cavalrymen in his army.

Ma Bufang had a conflicted relationship with the Tibetan population of Qinghai.

Some Tibetan Buddhists served in his army while others were crushed and killed by it.

In 1937, Ma Bufang rose with the help of the Kuomintang and forced his uncle Ma Lin to concede his position.

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.

At that point Ma Bufang became governor of Qinghai, with military and civilian powers, and remained in that position until the Communist victory in 1949.

During Ma Bufang's rise to power, he along with Ma Buqing and cousins Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin, were instrumental in helping another cousin, Ma Zhongying, to prevail in Gansu.

They did not want Ma Zhongying to compete with them on their own turf, so they encouraged and supported Ma Zhongying in developing his own power base in other regions such as Gansu and Xinjiang.

Ma Bufang defeated Ma Zhongying in a battle in Gansu, and drove him into Xinjiang.

Ma Bufang (1903 – 31 July 1975) (, Xiao'erjing: مَا بُ‌فَانْ) was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China era, ruling the province of Qinghai.

His rank was Lieutenant-general.

Because Ma Bufang did not want the 14th Dalai Lama to succeed his predecessor, he stationed his men in such a way that the Dalai Lama was effectively under house arrest, saying this was needed for "protection", and refusing to permit him to leave for Tibet.

He did all he could to delay the movement of the Dalai Lama from Qinghai to Tibet by demanding 100,000 Chinese silver dollars.

Even though his uncle Ma Lin was officially governor of Qinghai, Ma Bufang held de facto military power in the province and foreigners acknowledged this.

While his uncle Ma Lin was governor of Qinghai, Ma Bufang was pacification commissioner of Gansu.