Chen was a renowned traditional-style Chinese painter, art director and film director. Chen began paintings derived from fashion, cinema, and portraits of Westerners once the government relaxed its policies following the Cultural Revolution. In the 1990s, Chen's art was selling for record breaking prices in famous galleries. In the early 1990s, Chen began doing businesses investing in a magazine called the "Shanghai Tatler," his Layefe fashion brands and later home design brands, and a restaurant in Xintiandi. In 1993, Chen began his film production career. Chen has been featured in articles for WHITEWALL, The Economic Times, ArtDaily and China Daily.