Master Ma
| Company type | Television drama |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong, Taiwan |
| Products | Television series |
Master Ma is a television drama released in 1998, co-produced by ATV from Hong Kong and CTV in Taiwan. The narrative draws inspiration from the life of Ma Yongzhen (), a Hui martial artist active during the late Qing dynasty. Directed by Fan Sau-ming, the series features Kenny Ho portraying the titular character.
Season 1
Set against the backdrop of the Warlord Era in early 20th-century China, Ma Yongzhen and his mother, Ma Daniang, reside in Shandong Province, where they breed horses for Marshal Duan’s military forces. Following a devastating fire that destroys their stables and results in the loss of their horses, they are apprehended and nearly face execution but manage to escape. Subsequently, Ma Yongzhen relocates to Shanghai to start anew.
Upon arriving in Shanghai, Ma achieves recognition by winning both a horse race and a martial arts competition. However, this success brings him into conflict with dominant criminal organizations: the White Gang, led by Bai Laili, and the Wuhu Gang under Xue Changchun. He develops a romantic relationship with Liu Juchi, an opera singer and Xue’s consort. With assistance from Duan Lengcui and other allies, Ma establishes the Zhendong Gang, an organization dedicated to supporting the disadvantaged and fighting injustice, setting it apart from other gangs. By the conclusion of the season, Ma’s group triumphs over the Wuhu Gang and reaches a tentative truce with the White Gang.
Season 2
The second season focuses on the escalating rivalry between Ma Yongzhen and Bai Laili. Bai seeks to destabilize Ma and the Zhendong Gang by orchestrating thefts of foreign merchandise from their warehouses and directing his subordinate Tang Biao to assassinate the French consul, framing Ma for this crime. With backing from Marshal Duan—father of Duan Lengcui—Ma successfully vindicates himself and retains his leadership amid opposition from Bai and the White Gang.
Romantically, Ma shifts his affections from Liu Juchi to Duan Lengcui, culminating in their engagement. Influenced by both Marshal Duan and the Japanese consul, Ma advocates for establishing a hospital intended to serve Shanghai’s impoverished residents and foster improved Sino-Japanese relations. However, he later uncovers Marshal Duan’s covert alliance with Japanese interests involving biological weapons development at this hospital, alongside plans to overthrow the Kuomintang government. Concurrently, Ma contends with Kimura, a hostile Japanese karate expert allied with Bai Laili.
Cast
- Kenny Ho as Ma Yongzhen (), protagonist and leader of the Zhendong Gang.
- Grace Yu as Liu Juchi (), opera performer and Ma’s initial romantic partner.
- Anita Lee as Duan Lengcui (), daughter of Marshal Duan and Ma’s fiancée.
- Cheng Pei-pei as Ma Daniang (), mother of Ma Yongzhen.
- Chan Hung-lit as Bai Laili (), head of the White Gang.
- Norman Chui as Xue Changchun (), leader of the Wuhu Gang.
- Fan Bingbing as Bai Xiaodie (), daughter of Bai Laili and revealed sister to Ma Yongzhen.
- Howie Huang as Sun Jisheng (), physician and Kuomintang operative romantically involved with Bai Xiaodie.
- Yang Sheng as Jiang Shiguang (), Shanghai police officer allied with Ma.
- Lin Jing as Wenjing (), reporter partnered with Jiang Shiguang.
- Cheng Sihan as Lu Kuangtian (), warlord controlling Shanghai during Season 1.
- Lung Tien-hsiang as Tang Biao (), chief lieutenant to Bai Laili.
- He Zhonghua as Luo Zhan (), henchman of Xue Changchun who becomes a Kuomintang spy.
- as Duan Tianfeng (), warlord overseeing Shanghai in Season 2.
- Mondi Yau as Chen Jiamei (), Japanese agent disguised as a courtesan and mistress to Bai Laili.
- Shen Meng-sheng as Ding Xianjin (), entrepreneur who forms a drama troupe and pursues Liu Juchi.
- Kou Zhanwen as Kimura (), aggressive Japanese karateka allied with Bai Laili.
Remake
The series was reimagined in 2012 as a mainland Chinese TV production titled Ma Yongzhen. This adaptation was directed by Kuk Kwok-leung, with Danny Chan portraying the character Ma Yongzhen. The roles of Bai Laili and Xue Changchun were played by Norman Chu and He Zhonghua, respectively.
See also
- Boxer from Shantung, a 1972 Hong Kong motion picture inspired by the life of Ma Yongzhen.