Ma Henglin (1938-2020) was born in Gan'gu County, Gansu Province. In his early years, he studied at the Lanzhou Art Institute, the predecessor of the Academy of Fine Arts of Northwest Normal University. After graduation in the early 1960s, he was assigned to teach in Ningxian No. 2 Middle School and Ningxian Normal College.

He focused on gongbi (工笔, "meticulous") drawing and drew tigers and horses in a unique style. He was known in his hometown as the "Tiger King".