Born in 1964 to a family of performers in Hangzhou, Ma's early life was unremarkable. He struggled academically, taking three attempts to pass China's college entrance exam. However, his English skills, honed by showing foreigners around his hometown, eventually secured his place in higher education.
In the 1990s, as China was opening up under Deng Xiaoping's leadership, Ma recognized the potential of the Internet. He founded China Pages, an internet startup creating web pages for businesses. This venture, though short-lived due to a forced sale to a state-backed company, laid the groundwork for Ma's future success and shaped his cautious approach to government relations.