Ma Dahan was a Dongxiang

Dongxiang

Dongxiang may refer to:*China Dongxiang, a sportswear company in China*Dongxiang language, a Mongolic language*Dongxiang people, an ethnic group of China who speak the Dongxiang language*Dongxiang Autonomous County in Gansu, China...

 muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 who formed a pact with the fellow Dongxiang Ma Wanfu

Ma Wanfu

Ma Wanfu was a Dongxiang-Imam of the village Guoyuan in Hezhou...

 when rebelling against the Qing dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

 in 1895. They led their followers in Hezhou, Didao, and Xunhua to revolt. They formed a defence line between Guanghe

Guanghe

Guanghe may refer to:*Guanghe County, county in Gansu, China*Guanghe Theatre, theatre located in the Qianmen area of Beijing...

, Sanjiaji, and Tiaoheyan.Ma Wanfu surrendered as the Chinese muslim loyalist Generals Dong Fuxiang

Dong Fuxiang

Dong Fuxiang , a Chinese, was born Gansu, China. He commanded an army of Chinese Muslim soldiers, which included the later Ma clique generals Ma Anliang and Ma Fuxiang. According to the Western calendar, his birth date is in 1839.- Religion :Conflicting accounts are given about his religion and...

 and Ma Anliang

Ma Anliang

Ma Anliang , a Hui, was born in 1855, in Linxia, Gansu, China. He became a general in the Qing dynasty army, and of the Republic of China. His father was Ma Zhanao, and his younger brother was Ma Guoliang...

arrived to crush the rebel muslims, and Ma Dahan was killed while fighting to the death.