1852, Li Duanfen is a doctoral student.
In the first year of Tongzhi (1862), he was admitted to Shuntian Township, and the following year he was admitted to Jinshi and became an editor in the Hanlin Academy. Known for his outspoken views, he was awarded a bachelor's degree in cabinet, which was highly valued by the great scholar Wo Ren and Shang Shu Luo Dunyan.
In the eleventh year of Tongzhi (1872), when he became a political scholar in Yunnan, the political situation in Yunnan was chaotic and the cultural and educational undertakings went from bad to worse. He traveled all over the province, carefully assessed students from all over the country and promoted them in many ways. In recent years, Yunnan's cultural education has been greatly revitalized.
Because of his literature, he became familiar with Tongzhi and Guangxu. He has served as examiner in Shanxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan and Shandong provinces, chairman of the national examination in Shuntian province and vice chairman of the national examination.
In the 15th year of Guangxu (1889), Li Duanfen took part in the provincial examination in Guangdong and appreciated Liang Qichao, who was only seventeen years old. He betrothed his cousin Li Huixian to Liang Qichao, and later transferred to the positions of assistant minister of punishments, assistant minister of the Ministry of Industry, and warehouse manager.
In May of the 22nd year of Guangxu (1896), Li Duanfen published the book "Please Promote School Folding", suggesting that the education system should be reformed throughout the country, and the old academies specializing in textual research, inscription and posting should be reformed, and new schools should be set up all over the country, with Shi Jing University as the capital, and schools at all levels in provinces, counties and counties should offer foreign languages, mathematics, astronomy, geography and other courses. It is also suggested to set up a library (library), a document office, a translation bureau and a newspaper office to send overseas students to study abroad. By the princes and ministers of the Qing dynasty? Resolutely oppose it and put it on hold for the time being. Later, Li Duanfen's petition was immediately examined and approved by the Prime Minister's yamen and approved by Emperor Guangxu. Two years later, it was put into practice one by one, which made great contributions to the establishment of Shi Jing University Hall, the predecessor of Peking University, thus ringing the death knell of the feudal education system and opening the prelude to the transformation to modern education.
In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), before the Reform Movement of 1898, Li Duanfen recommended Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong to Emperor Guangxu. During the period of political reform, Li Duanfen took an active part, and Emperor Guangxu appointed him as the minister of rites, vigorously promoting the New Deal. After the failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest, Li Duanfen was dismissed and exiled to Xinjiang, and Zhongdao was stranded in Ganzhou.
In the 27th year of Guangxu (190 1), he was pardoned and returned to Guiyang. In the 28th year of Guangxu (1902), the governor of Guizhou hired Li Duanfen to preside over Shi Jing School in Guizhou.
At the end of the 31st year of Guangxu (1905), together with the gentry Yu Dekai, Tang, Ren Kecheng and Hua Zhihong, Guiyang Fu Middle School, which belonged to North College, was moved to Xueyadong and changed to Guiyang Middle School.
In the thirty-second year of Guangxu (1906), Guiyang Middle School was renamed Tongsheng Public Middle School.
In the thirty-third year of Guangxu (1907), Li Duanfen died in Guiyang at the age of 75. Brother Li, loyal son and stepson were buried in Guiyang Gate.