[1] Li Tao read widely from a young age, not only Confucian classics but also history, medicine, agriculture, cosmology and divination.
Like Sima Guang before him, he began gathering the veritable records (實錄), the reign histories (國史) and biographies for his project.
In 1159, when he worked under the Sichuan Military Commissioner (四川制置使) Wang Gangzhong (王剛中), he published an article titled "Ten Comments on Li Yue and Others" (李悅等十事) which denounced Qin Hui and Cai Jing.
[4] In 1163, Li Tao finished the first 17 chapters of Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian, which covers the reign of Emperor Taizu of Song.
[5] In 1167 he was recommended by the new Sichuan Military Commissioner Wang Yingchen (汪應辰) and went to the capital Lin'an Prefecture to serve as Assistant Official (員外郎) in the Ministry of War (兵部).
He was concurrently appointed Official of the Bureau of Compilator of the Reign History (國史院編修官), and his unfinished Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian was included in the Palace Library.
In 1170, he was made the Examining Editor (檢討官) of the newly established Bureau of Compilation of Veritable Records (實錄院).
In 1177 he finished the last part of Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian and was honored as a Vice Minister (侍郎) of the Ministry of Rites.
[7] He was summoned back to the central government the 4th time and rewarded the posts of Auxiliar-Academician (直學士) of Fuwen Pavilion (敷文閣), Lecturer-in-Waiting (侍講) of Hanlin Academy and Intendant of Youshen Temple (佑神觀).