Tschen La Ling is born in The Hague to a Chinese father and a Dutch mother, Ling began his career with his hometown team Den Haag in the 1973–74 and 1974-75 seasons. He joined Ajax in the 1975-76 season. Ajax won the Eredivisie title in the 4 seasons of 1976-77, 1978–79, 1979–80, and 1981–82, and reached 4 Dutch Cup finals in the 4 consecutive seasons of 1977-78, 1978–79, 1979–80, and 1980–81, but these feats paled in comparison to the European successes during the early 1970s, when Ajax, with players like Johan Cruijff, Johan Neeskens, Johnny Rep, Ruud Krol, Barry Hulshoff, Horst Blankenburg, Arie Haan, Gerrie Mühren, and Piet Keizer won 3 European Cups in the 1970–71, 1971–72, and 1972–73 seasons. Only in 1979-80 was Ajax able to reach a European Cup semi-final. Ling played together with players like Krol, Ruud Geels, Frank Arnesen, Soren Lerby, Simon Tahamata, and Martin van Geel, and later also with Wim Kieft, Frank Rijkaard, Gerald Vanenburg, Jesper Olsen, and Sonny Silooy. In December 1981, Cruijff returned to Ajax. The team was built around him, and Ling lost his place in the starting line-up to Vanenburg. He moved to Panathinaikos in July 1982, and then Marseille in July 1984 with the collaboration of the player agent Békeffy Jenő. He spent a year with Ajax’s bitter rival Feyenoord for the 1985-86 season, and moved back to Den Haag for the 1986-87 season before retiring at the end of the season.