Born in Beijing in 1915, Li had a miserable childhood - she was a child maid, an adopted daughter, learned Beijing Opera, was admitted to an orphanage. She moved to Shanghai in 1927 and joined a troupe to learn singing and dancing. She became a movie actress in 1931 and appeared in six films by director Sun Yu, among others. What made her unique among her counterparts was her sporty, modern and vibrant appearance. After Japanese army occupied Shanghai, she traveled between Chung King and Hong Kong to make films. She went to the USA in 1946 to study English, music, make-up and was even attached to Hollywood to learn acting. She returned to China in 1947. After China was liberated, Beijing Film Studio signed her as an actress. In 1955, she was enrolled in the newly established Beijing Film Academy and became a professor of the Academy after she graduated.