Li Zhuan was from Fu County, Zitong Commandery, which is around present-day Mianyang, Sichuan. His father, Li Ren, whose courtesy name was Dexian, was a close friend of Yin Mo, who was from the same county as him. Li Ren and Yin Mo left their native Yi Province on a tour of Jing Province, where they studied under the tutelage of Sima Hui and Song Zhong. Li Zhuan inherited his father's knowledge. Together with Yin Mo, he extensively studied the Five Classics and Hundred Schools of Thought, and became a learned scholar. Apart from academia and philosophy, he was also well-versed in various arts and crafts, mathematics, divination, medicine, archery and mechanics. Li Zhuan started his career in the Shu Han state as an assistant scribe before becoming a clerk to the Masters of Writing. In 238, after the Shu emperor Liu Shan designated his eldest son Liu Xuan as crown prince, he appointed Li Zhuan as a bodyguard to Liu Xuan. Later, he reassigned/promoted Li Zhuan to various positions, including Supervisor, Attendant Counsellor and Right General of the Household. Li Zhuan's main task, however, was to educate Liu Xuan. The crownprince also favoured Li Zhuan for his multiple talents and extensive knowledge. Despite his wealth of knowledge, Li Zhuan was not highly regarded or respected by his peers because of his frivolous behaviour and tendency to ridicule and scorn others. Throughout his life as a scholar, Li Zhuan wrote commentaries, guides, annotations, etc., to a number of ancient texts, including the Yijing, Book of Documents, Mao Commentary, Etiquette and Ceremonial, Book of Rites, Rites of Zhou, Zuo Zhuan, and Taixuan Zhigui. His writings followed the styles of Jia Kui and Ma Rong rather than that of Zheng Xuan. Although he had never met his contemporary Wang Su before, his works and interpretations of Confucianism turned out to be similar to Wang Su's. He died in the middle of the Jingyao era of Liu Shan's reign. One of Li Zhuan's peers, Chen Shu, who was from Hanzhong Commandery and whose courtesy name was Shenbo, was also well-known for being knowledgeable and multi-talented. Chen Shu wrote the seven-chapter Shi Bu, Yizhou Qijiu Zhuan and Yizhou Qijiu Zhi, and served as the administrator of three commanderies in Shu.
