According to Chang Qu's "Chronicles of Huayang", Ma was born in Liang Province. There, he became a bandit leader, operating alongside Zhao Zhi (趙祗). It is unlikely that Ma had any actual links to the Yellow Turban movement of Zhang Jue in eastern China. When Ma and his forces marched southward into Yi Province, ex-Han army troops of Qiang origin were still engaged in an open rebellion in Liang Province. According to researcher J.M. Farmer, it is possible that Ma had enlisted some Qiang soldiers.