Still the urge to paint would not die, and Li finally convinced his father to allow him to try to make his own way in the world, brush in hand. Li's first job was painting the scenery for a roving puppet troupe.
他在家中當了一年莊稼漢，耕作之餘，心頭常湧起想畫畫的意念，便和父親商量，想另找個和繪畫有關的工作。