Chen's father was a well-known traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Chen picked up the skill from his father and treated local farmers himself. One day in 1974, he treated a married woman who was unable to conceive. The farmer's family offered him the gift of an ox in gratitude, but Chen declined the gift saying it was too expensive. He settled instead for an old bronze drum that the family gave him. That was to be the first piece in his bronze drum collection.
Since then Chen has collected more than 100 bronze drums, laying the groundwork for his museum.
During the "cultural revolution"(1966-76), bronze drums were regarded as remnants of a backward society and were being confiscated to be destroyed.Those who owned one were only too happy to hand over the "troublemakers" to Chen.
To avoid falling in trouble because of his strange hobby, Chen would wait until dark before returning home with his new possessions.
