Ma once said that art is important in the exploration of life and that the figures of his clay modeling works are examples of normal human beings who earn their own livings. His works reflect his observation and his affections of village life.

Ma Ruote graduated from the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in 1988. His work Black Field won the Sophora Flower Award at the first Huanjian Cup sculpture contest in 1998 and was part of the permanent collection of the China Sculpture Museum.

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schroder is an admirer of Ma Ruote's work. Schroder bought a set of Ma's sculptures entitled Qing Mei Zhu Ma when visiting the Soul Collection Gallery at the 798 Art District in Beijing in 2005. The sculptures were two lovers looking at each other.

More than 200 clay figurines are on display inside the Ma Ruote Clay Figurine Museum in Jinxi town, Kunshan. [Photo from Jinxi Tourism WeChat account]