At 18, Li-hua joined the Sai Chin Pao Troupe and performed in Manila. "Mother taught me to sing and act, but she never taught me to improve my singing or performance," she said.
十八歲加入賽金寶歌仔戲團，並且隨團到馬尼拉的華宮戲院演出，她自認此行獲益良多：「母親教我唱、教我演，但卻沒告訴我怎麼去唱好、演好。」