Ma Ding (1927) was from Wuhan, Hubei Province. Ma was self-taught. In 1950, he became a copy clerk in the Southwest Public Security Paper mill, and transferred in 1953 to work as a section member in the offices of the Chongqing Municipal Trade Union Chapter. He became art editor in the 重庆日报 (Chongqing Daily) in 1956, and transferred to the Chongqing Evening Paper Company in 1983 to become the cartoon editor-in-chief for the publication穿山甲 (Pangolin). Ma is a cartoonist.