 The people of Zhangzhou, Fujian, along with the descendants of immigrants from Zhangzhou to Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, all refer to him as the "Sacred Prince, Developer of Zhangzhou" ().At the age of 13, he accompanied his father Chen Zheng (), commander of the Southern China military expeditionary force, on a march to Fujian, for the purpose of setting up a regional administration.In April of the second year of the Emperor Gaozong of Tang (677), Chen Zheng died in the line of duty, Chen Yuanguang took over his father's duties, and led the troops in place of his father.