Born in Buitenzorg (now Bogor), West Java, Lie received his formal education in missionary schools and by the 1870s was fluent in Sundanese, vernacular Malay, and Dutch, though he was unable to understand Chinese.
Lahir di Buitenzorg (sekarang Bogor), Jawa Barat, Lie menempuh pendidikan formalnya di sekolah-sekolah misionaris dan pada 1870-an ia dapat berbicara dalam bahasa Sunda, Melayu, dan Belanda, meskipun ia tak dapat memahami bahasa Mandarin.