 When Chen was a child, his father would read literary works aloud to him, and reportedly helped impart to his son an appreciation of the values of democracy and freedom.In 1991, Chen's father gave him a copy of "The Law Protecting the Disabled," which elaborated on the legal rights and protections in place for disabled persons in the PRC.In 1989, at the age of 18, Chen began attending school as a grade one student at the Elementary School for the Blind in Linyi city.