Li Zhi began her journey into the art of ink rubbings in 2008 as a curatorial intern in the Bronze Department of the Shanghai Museum. Under the mentorship of ink rubbing master Xie Haiyuan and seal stone specialist Sun Weizu, she honed fundamental techniques for creating rubbings on a variety of materials, including archaic bronze, jade, and stone steles. 

This formative experience introduced Li to the Southern Style of ink rubbing, renowned for its ability to capture intricate, refined details beyond the reach of modern photography. She mastered specialized techniques such as rubbing on shallow engravings and curved surfaces, as well as precise inking methods that left no residue on the reverse side of the paper, preserving the pristine condition of the original object.

After earning a prestigious fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Li Zhi relocated to New York City to advance her career in the arts. She quickly gained recognition for her expertise, creating ink rubbings for prominent private collectors and auction houses, including J.J. Lally, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s. Among her most notable projects was making rubbings of the Min Fanglei, a monumental 12th to 11th-century BCE bronze vessel. Known as the "King of Fanglei," this magnificent artifact garnered international attention after its appearance at a New York auction and was eventually reunited with its lid in the Hunan Museum's collection after nearly a century apart.

During this period, Li furthered her craft by studying composite rubbings—also known as "full-form rubbings" (quanxing ta)—under Wu Libo, a master recognized as an inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage for ink rubbing. This challenging technique involves creating seamless, highly detailed impressions that achieve a three-dimensional composition while faithfully preserving the designs and textures, making it one of the most complex forms of ink rubbing.

Li Zhi has shared her expertise and passion through workshops at the China Institute in America and Sotheby’s, as well as lectures at the New York Public Library and Hunter College. Her works have been featured in notable art and cultural exhibitions, including the Metropolitan Pavilion and the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In 2018, she collaborated with The Art Institute of Chicago to produce an educational video for the exhibition Mirroring China’s Past: Emperors and Their Bronzes. The video installation, showcased in the gallery, brought the ancient art of ink rubbing to life for a contemporary audience, demonstrating its enduring relevance as a living art form.