Ma Bufang
The son of Ma Qi, Ma Bufang (1903–1975) was a Kuomintang warlord who ruled Qinghai province as part of the Muslim Ma clique during the Republic of China era.
He served as a general in the National Revolutionary Army and pursued aggressive expansion into Tibetan territory, launching seven military expeditions into Golok in which thousands of Golokpas were killed. In 1941 his forces destroyed Sertar Gompa, killing its senior lama and some 300 monks before burning the monastery to the ground and looting its contents.
Since the early 8th century, Tibetans and Himalayan people have treasured "Namtars" as written or spoken narratives that demonstrate the realization of the Buddhist path by exceptional practitioners. These namtars, or spiritual biographies, serve as inspirational guides on the path to enlightenment.
Today, Namtars Foundation aims to record, preserve, and freely offer the world a written and electronic treasury of the oral wisdom of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism.
