Ma has devoted himself to teaching music over the past decade in two middle schools in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province.

When Ma was a child, he was fascinated by an antiquated organ at his school. When classes were over, he often stayed behind and asked his music teacher to show him how to play the instrument.

His passion for music remained even after he was admitted to the Feicheng Normal School.

Though music was not his major, Ma studied music theory on his own and kept on playing the organ during his three years of study at the school, which laid the foundation for his career as a music teacher.

In 1991, Ma became a teacher of politics at the Zhangqiu No 2 Middle School. He learnt that one of his students, Ma Xiaohui, was really talented in music.

So Ma decided to help the student fulfill his dream. He then became Ma Xiaohui's part-time music teacher.

And their efforts paid off. Ma Xiaohui was later admitted to a conservatory of music. He was the first student from Zhangqiu to major in music in college.

Greatly encouraged by the initial success, Ma began to help more talented students with their musical studies.

"The teaching was really difficult," Ma recalled.

He hardly had any musical instruments except for an old organ and he often gave classes in the school's dining hall, store room or his humble apartment.

On a winter's day in 1997, Ma had a terrible accident on his way home from class.

Exhausted, he fell off the truck he was travelling on, which put him into a coma for two weeks. Although he regained consciousness, he lost most of his eyesight.

But misfortune did not halt Ma's desire to teach. Even in hospital, he helped students prepare for their conservatory entrance exams.

To his surprise, all of his 14 students passed the exam.

In 1998, Ma was transferred to the Zhangqiu No 4 Middle School and began to work as a full-time music teacher.

Up to now, over 100 of his students have furthered their musical studies in conservatories throughout the country.

Ma also extended a willing hand to some of his students who were too poor to attend college. He volunteered to go guarantor to help them secure loans. 

(China Daily September 5, 2003)