Tu Chin was a native of Tan-t'u (modern Chen-chiang, Kiangsu) but later resided in Peking as well as Nanking. Early in the Ch'eng-hua era (ca. 1465), he took the civil service exams, but failed, devoting himself instead to the scholarly activities of poetry, writing, calligraphy, and especially painting. Though the exact dates of his birth and death remain unknown, he appears to have been active mostly in the Ch'eng-hua era (1465-1505).
In painting, he was gifted at a variety of subject matter, including landscapes, figures, trees, and animals. His figures and ruled-line manner for architecture were exact, while his representations of landscapes, trees, and rocks were somewhat freer. He often used the "pai-miao" outline manner for rendering drapery. He was a master at the time known for his fine, strong, yet flowing brushwork. Generally speaking, his painting derives from the Sung academic mode fused with the brush manner of Yuan artists, creating a mature and elegant style all his own. He was a major painter of the era along with Kuo Hsiang (1456-1528), Wu Wei (1427-1508), and Shen Chou (1427-1509).