He left his high-paying job at the United Evening News and took off with his savings to write poetry in the PRC. Li boarded initially at the home of the noted photographer Lin Tien-fu, a friend and former colleague who had struck out for the PRC before he did.
於是放棄聯合晚報優渥的薪水，帶著積蓄到大陸寫詩，投靠比他更早一步到大陸發展、並已在大陸成家立業的知名攝影家林添福，跟著深入各民族部落。