In the second year of the Emperor Ruizong of Tang (686), Wu Zetian approved the application, and issued a decree which granted permission for the creation of the state of Zhangzhou.

[6] After this, Chen Yuanguang established order among the various hamlets, built fortresses, trained troops, and pacified the border areas.

As a result, the entire area, from Quanzhou in the north to Chaozhou in the south, and from Ganzhou in the west to the islands in the Taiwan Strait, became stable and prosperous.

He then introduced advanced farming and production techniques to the area, and oversaw the planting of economically sound crops such as rice, flax, sugarcane, bananas, litchis, longan and flowers.

On November 5, in the second year of the second reign of the Emperor Ruizong of Tang (711), the children of Miao Zicheng and Lei Wanxing staged a rebellion in Chaozhou, then hid in the high mountains.

Chen Yuanguang's efforts at developing the regions near Zhangzhou and Chaozhou, received praise from numerous succeeding emperors.

The Emperor Xiaozong of Song granted Chen Yuanguang the title "Defender Prince of Guangdong and brilliant spirit who accommodates brightness and ferocity".