Due to the Disasters of the Partisan Prohibitions in 166 and 169, Chen Ji did not enter government service and instead spent his time reading and writing.
In 184, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Emperor Ling issued a general amnesty to everyone affected by the Disasters of the Partisan Prohibitions.
In 189, the warlord Dong Zhuo took advantage of the political chaos in the aftermath of Emperor Ling's death to lead his troops into the imperial capital Luoyang and seize control of the central government.
Dong Zhuo then sent an invitation to Chen Ji, requesting him to come to Luoyang to serve as General of the Household for All Purposes (五官中郎將).
Before Chen Ji left to assume his new office, Dong Zhuo sought his opinion on relocating the imperial capital from Luoyang to Chang'an, in the light of an invasion by a coalition of warlords from the east of Hangu Pass.