Born in Wonogiri, Tan took an early interest in Javanese culture, studying under Mas Ngabehi Mangoenwidjaja of Wonigiri and at the Sunanate of Surakarta.

Suryadinata likens Tan's long hair and moustache to those of a "modern day hippie",[3] while Ardus M. Sawega of Kompas suggests that this hairstyle was intended as a form of resistance against the Dutch colonial government.

[2] Through his company, Tan published works by a variety of writers, including Ranggawarsita, Mangkunegara IV, Ki Padmosusastro, and Yosodipuro.

Tan would also publish books under his own name, though in a 2002 interview his great-grandson suggested that he did not write these works, but compiled text from a variety of anonymous sources.

[1][3] Tan's publications, which were outside of the colonial-government run Balai Pustaka network, introduced the works of authors to wider audiences than possible in the traditional method of hand-copying manuscripts.

However, owing to a lack of documentation of his publications, in 2002 the Kediri city government organized a team to research Tan's oeuvre and his life.