In late December, Li — an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital — sent a message to a group of medical school alumni warning them about a mysterious new illness that looked very much like the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Shortly after, authorities tried to silence him by forcing Li to sign a letter admitting to "spreading rumors" and "making false comments."
Li's subsequent death of the same virus, on February 7, sparked anger with many people across China as they took to social media calling for freedom of speech and the end of state censorship.
Last week, China declared the doctor a "martyr," the highest honor the Communist Party can bestow on a citizen. The country also observed a three-minute silence last Saturday to honor coronavirus victims, including Li.