Ma Dehua

Ma Dehua (; born 11 August 1945) is a Chinese actor best known for his role as Zhu Bajie in the 1986 television series Journey to the West.

Life Ma was born in a family of merchants in Beijing on 11 August 1945, with his ancestral home in Wucheng County, Shandong, he is of Hui people ethnicity, he is the third child of four children.

Ma aspired to act from an early age. At the age of 5, Ma started to studied Chinese martial arts.

Ma studied at the High School Affiliated to Minzu University of China. Ma entered the China National Peking Opera Company by age 14, he learned Kunqu opera and Beijing opera there. After finished, Ma worked in the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater as an actor.

During the Cultural Revolution, Ma acted in Shajiabang, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy and Dujuan Mountain.

In early 1982, Director Yang Jie invited Ma to act Zhu Bajie in Journey to the West, by the age of 37. The series was one of the most watched ones in mainland China in that year.

Ma retired in 1999, at the age of 54.

In 2007, Ma starred opposite Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Chi Chongrui, Liu Dagang in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West.

Personal life Ma married worker Hou Yumin in October 1972, they have a son, Ma Yang (; born 1973).

Filmography Film Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 2016 The New Year's Eve of Old Lee An old man 2017 How to Train the Demon Zhang Guolao 2018 White Bone Lady Fights the Wolf Demon 2019 Miser Zhu Shoufu 2019 Youth Jiang Hai 2019 Hearted Road Journey to the West 3D Sha Wujing

Television Year English title Chinese title Role Notes 1982 Journey to the West Zhu Bajie 2006 The Story of an Old Man Grandpa Shi 2007 Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West Zhu Bajie 2011 Fake President President Liao 2012 Blind Date Lao Guan