Chen was born on 9 March 1232 (the 16th Day of Lunar 2 Month) in Yuhu Village, Putian County, Fuzhou, Fujian province (mordern Licheng District, Putian). He passed local examination in 1251, and was selected into Taixue in 1256. In 1268, he participated in examinations in the capital, during which he was personally awarded first rank by the Emperor Duzong. Jia Sidao, who was the chancellor at that time, appreciated his talent for literary grace. But he abominated Jia's treacherous, and often came into conflict with Jia. Later, Jia spoke ill of him, and he was sent to Fuzhou, Jiangxi.

Soon after his loose power, Mongolian armies invaded Song Empire and within a short period, the whole empire entered a chaotic situation. Emperor Gong had to surrender to Mongolians. Lu Xiufu and Zhang Shijie escaped to Fujian, and installed Duanzong as the new emperor in 1275. Chen was summoned back to Fujian, and was ordered to stay guard at Fuzhou, the provisional capital at that time. Mogolian army marched into Fujian in the next year, Duanzong was forced to flee to Guangzhou, leaving Chen to resist in Fujian. Chen came to his homeland to recruit. He resisted in Xinghua (mordern Putian) for two years. Later, he was betrayed by his subordinates, and was handed over to the Mongolians. He refused to consider the thought of a surrender given by the Mongolian generals. He was taken to Khanbaliq. In the middle way, he decided to suicide by starvation, and died in Hangzhou in the same year. His uncle Chen Zan (陳瓚) continued his career fighting against the Mongolians, and was captured and executed.