Born in 1906 in Baigong, in Guangdong province, Chen Wen Hsi moved to Singapore where he lived until his death in 17 December 1991.
His early education was at Chen Li Primary School and St. Joseph Middle School. After graduation from secondary school, Chen Wen Hsi decided to study full time in fine art at the Shanghai College of Art in 1928, despite his uncle's objection. Unhappy with the college, Chen transferred to the Xinhua College of Art in Shanghai, where he was taught by renowned artists such as Pan Tianshou, with half of his classmates a year later. It was at Xinhua that he became acquainted with Chen Jen Hao, Chen Chong Swee and Liu Kang, all of whom were to become Singapore's pioneer artists and art educationists. After four years at Xinhua, Chen graduated and returned to his hometown.
After getting married at his hometown, Chen Wen Hsi went to South China College at Shantou in China to teach fine art from 1946 to 1947. He also founded the Chun Yang Painting Society there.
Chen's art career began with his first exhibition in Swatow in 1929, at the age of 21. He left China in 1947, and since then he continued to have solo exhibitions in other parts of Asia: Shanghai (1931, 1933), Guangzhou (1932, 1936), Saigon (1948), Hong Kong (1949), Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur (1949), and Bangkok-Singapore (1950). In 1937, he received the recognition and praise of Chinese painter Xu Beihong at the second Chinese National Art Exhibition in Nanjing. In the same year, an English arts magazine elected him as one of contemporary China's ten greatest artists.
In 1948, Chen arrived and settled in Singapore, where he originally planned to stay for not more than three months. In Singapore, he proceeded to teach art at The Chinese High School (1949-1968) and the Nayang Academy of Fine Arts (1951-1959). Chen travelled to various places in Southeast Asia to collect drawing materials during his vacations, and he was especially inspired by the people and customs of Bali and Java. In June 1955, Chen
took part in a seven-artist group exhibition organized by the Singapore Art Society
