Background
He was born in Ninghsia, Kansu, China.
He was born in Ninghsia, Kansu, China.
Lin Ma was appointed a battalion commander in Ninghal, Kansu, China in 1916. He was responsible for the suppression of two serious bandit outbreaks in Kansu in 1917 and 1920. After that he was appointed Pacification Commissioner of Taoho, Kansu and suppressed the arch - bandit leader, Ma Ting-hsiang and was appointed by the Nationalist Government as member of the Chinghai Provincial Government and concurrently Commissioner of Reconstruction in 1929 and in that capacity, was responsible for the development of industries and communications in that province. In 1930, when General Feng Yu-hsiang's forces were sweeping eastward and bandit activities were rampant in southern Kansu, he was appointed by Kansu authorities as Bandit Suppression Commander of Kansu Province. After the conclusion of the bandit suppression campaign, Gen. Ma was proclaimed by the people as Chairman of Kansu, but declined the office. Later he assumed the office as Commander-in-Chief of Peace Preservation Force of Kansu. When Gen. Ma Hung-ping arrived at Lanchow, he gave up the post in his favor and accepted a subordinate post as Commander of the First Division of Kansu Cavalry. Shortly after, he returned to Chinghai and when Gen Ma Chi, then Chairman of Chinghai died, he was appointed by the National Government to succeed him as Chairman of the Chinghai Provincial Government and in the summer of 1933, was appointed to the concurrent post of Commissioner of Civil Affairs of Chinghai.