Zhao was born in poverty and had a painful and tortuous experience with Ma Hongkui. She is a Han nationality, born in 1925, a native of Guangming Village, Shilidian, Helan County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and the fifth aunt of Ma Hongkui.

1892 to 1970 Ma Hongkui, nicknamed semi-yin sanyuan, Hui nationality, one of the four horses in the northwest, was a senior general of the Kuomintang Northwest Army. He was born in Hezhou, Gansu Province, and served as the chairman of Ningxia Province for 17 years, integrating military and political power. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, he served as deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Theater and commander-in-chief of the 17 Army, and later served as deputy military and political chief of the Northwest and deputy director of the Northwest Hangyuan.