In 1895, he was appointed governor of Hunan province, where he carried out a reform program with the aid of Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao. Chen's sympathies to the Hundred Days' Reform attracted criticism from his superiors, especially Empress Dowager Cixi who distrusted reformists such as Chen Baozhen.
In 1895, he was appointed governor of Hunan province, where he implemented a reform program with the assistance of Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao. Chen's support for the Hundred Days' Reform drew criticism from his superiors, particularly Empress Dowager Cixi who disapproved of reformers like Chen Baozhen.