Li enlisted in the Dare-to-Die Corps of Shanxi Youths (山西青年抗敌决死队) in July 1937, and joined the CCP in January 1938.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he received assignment as secretary of the Political Department of the 4th Column and engaged in the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

During the Chinese Civil War, Li was present at the battles of Xinzhou (忻州战役), Lvliang (吕梁战役), Fenxiao (汾孝战役), Yan'an (延安战役), Shajiadian (沙家店战役), Hancheng (韩城战役), Yichuan (宜川战役), Xifu (西府战役), Xiaojinzhen (肖金镇战役), Lizhen (荔镇战役), Yongfeng (永丰战役), Fumei (扶眉战役), and Lanzhou (兰州战役).

After founding of the Communist State, in March 1950, Li was commissioned as deputy director and then director of the Political Department of the 5th Army of the People's Liberation Army, concurrently serving as secretary-general and head of Propaganda of the CCP Ili District Committee.

[1] In April 1985, he was proposed as chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and served until May 1993.