Li was baptized when he was young. In 1938, he entered Xi'an's seminary. On 11 April 1951, he was ordained, and in the same year, he was appointed as the vice-dean of
St. Francis Cathedral, Xi'an. The pope sent
ecclesiastical rings to Li and the three other bishops to signify that they were a part of the synod. Li wore the ring when he died in 2006. On 30 April and 3 May 2006, Li attended the consecration of two bishops in China. Both consecrations were without papal approval. Later in the same year, in an interview with the
South China Morning Post, Li acknowledged that he was uncertain whether the consecrations would harm the potential relationship between China and the Holy See. Although he recognized that the consecration of bishops posed a challenge for both parties, he speculated that China and the Vatican could establish diplomatic relations within five years. == References ==