[proofplan]
We compute the Chern connection in the global holomorphic frame $e$. The Hermitian metric is represented in this frame by the positive smooth function $g := h(e,e)=e^{-\varphi}$, so the Chern connection one-form is $g^{-1}\partial g$. Differentiating this connection form by $\bar{\partial}$ gives the curvature, and the anticommutation identity $\bar{\partial}\partial=-\partial\bar{\partial}$ on smooth functions converts the result into $\partial\bar{\partial}\varphi$.
[/proofplan]
[step:Represent the Hermitian metric by its scalar weight in the holomorphic frame]
Define the smooth positive function
\begin{align*}
g: X &\to \mathbb{R}_{>0} \\
x &\mapsto h_x(e(x),e(x)).
\end{align*}
By hypothesis,
\begin{align*}
g = e^{-\varphi}.
\end{align*}
Since $e$ is a global holomorphic frame for the line bundle $L$, every smooth local section $s$ of $L$ over an [open set](/page/Open%20Set) $U \subseteq X$ has a unique representation $s=f e|_U$ with $f:U\to\mathbb{C}$ smooth.
[/step]
[step:Compute the Chern connection form from metric compatibility]
Let $\nabla_h$ denote the Chern connection of $(L,h)$. In the frame $e$, define the connection one-form
\begin{align*}
A_e \in \Omega^{1,0}(X)
\end{align*}
by
\begin{align*}
\nabla_h e = A_e \otimes e.
\end{align*}
Here $\Omega^{1,0}(X)$ denotes the space of smooth complex-valued one-forms of type $(1,0)$ on $X$. Because $e$ is holomorphic, the $(0,1)$-part of the Chern connection is the holomorphic structure, so $A_e$ has type $(1,0)$. Metric compatibility gives the identity
\begin{align*}
\partial h(e,e)
&= h(\nabla_h^{1,0}e,e)+h(e,\nabla_h^{0,1}e).
\end{align*}
Because $e$ is holomorphic and the $(0,1)$-part of the Chern connection is the holomorphic structure, $\nabla_h^{0,1}e=\bar\partial e=0$. Therefore
\begin{align*}
\partial h(e,e)
&= h(\nabla_h^{1,0}e,e) \\
&= h(A_e\otimes e,e) \\
&= A_e\,h(e,e) \\
&= A_e\,g.
\end{align*}
Since $g>0$, division by $g$ is valid, and hence
\begin{align*}
A_e = g^{-1}\partial g.
\end{align*}
Using $g=e^{-\varphi}$, the chain rule gives
\begin{align*}
\partial g
= \partial(e^{-\varphi})
= -e^{-\varphi}\partial\varphi
= -g\,\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
A_e = -\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
[guided]
The goal of this step is to translate the metric into the connection form. Since $L$ is a line bundle and $e$ is a nowhere-vanishing holomorphic frame, the connection is completely determined by the one-form $A_e$ defined by
\begin{align*}
\nabla_h e = A_e \otimes e.
\end{align*}
The Chern connection is characterized by two properties: its $(0,1)$-part agrees with the holomorphic structure, and it is compatible with the Hermitian metric. The first property implies that $A_e$ has type $(1,0)$, because $e$ is holomorphic.
Now apply metric compatibility to the scalar function $h(e,e)=g$. Taking the $(1,0)$-part gives the full identity
\begin{align*}
\partial h(e,e)
&= h(\nabla_h^{1,0}e,e)+h(e,\nabla_h^{0,1}e).
\end{align*}
The second term vanishes for a specific reason: $e$ is holomorphic, and the defining property of the Chern connection says that $\nabla_h^{0,1}$ is the holomorphic structure operator $\bar\partial$. Hence
\begin{align*}
\nabla_h^{0,1}e=\bar\partial e=0.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
\partial h(e,e)
&= h(\nabla_h^{1,0}e,e) \\
&= h(A_e\otimes e,e) \\
&= A_e\,h(e,e) \\
&= A_e\,g.
\end{align*}
The function $g$ is strictly positive because it is the squared norm of the frame vector $e(x)\neq 0$, so we may divide by $g$ and obtain
\begin{align*}
A_e = g^{-1}\partial g.
\end{align*}
Substituting the given weight $g=e^{-\varphi}$ and using the ordinary chain rule for smooth functions,
\begin{align*}
\partial g
= \partial(e^{-\varphi})
= -e^{-\varphi}\partial\varphi
= -g\,\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
Thus the connection one-form in the frame $e$ is
\begin{align*}
A_e = -\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Differentiate the connection form to obtain the curvature]
For the Chern connection in the holomorphic frame $e$, the curvature is the $(1,1)$-part of the exterior covariant square of the connection. Since $L$ has rank one and $A_e$ has type $(1,0)$, the scalar wedge term $A_e\wedge A_e$ vanishes by antisymmetry of the wedge product. Therefore the curvature form in the frame $e$ is represented by
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h = \bar{\partial}A_e.
\end{align*}
Using the computed connection form $A_e=-\partial\varphi$, we obtain
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h
= \bar{\partial}(-\partial\varphi)
= -\bar{\partial}\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
For a smooth function $\varphi:X\to\mathbb{R}$, the Dolbeault operators anticommute on functions:
\begin{align*}
\bar{\partial}\partial\varphi = -\partial\bar{\partial}\varphi.
\end{align*}
Therefore
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h = \partial\bar{\partial}\varphi.
\end{align*}
[guided]
The curvature is obtained from the exterior covariant square of the Chern connection. In a holomorphic frame, the connection form has type $(1,0)$, so the $(1,1)$-part of the curvature is obtained from $\bar{\partial}A_e$ together with the wedge product term. Here the bundle has rank one, so the connection form is scalar-valued. The scalar wedge term is
\begin{align*}
A_e\wedge A_e = 0,
\end{align*}
because the wedge product of a one-form with itself is zero. Hence the curvature form in the frame $e$ is
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h = \bar{\partial}A_e.
\end{align*}
From the previous step,
\begin{align*}
A_e=-\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
Substituting this into the curvature formula gives
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h
= \bar{\partial}(-\partial\varphi)
= -\bar{\partial}\partial\varphi.
\end{align*}
The remaining point is the sign. On smooth functions, the Dolbeault operators satisfy the anticommutation identity
\begin{align*}
\bar{\partial}\partial\varphi = -\partial\bar{\partial}\varphi.
\end{align*}
This identity is the complex-coordinate form of $d^2=0$ together with the decomposition $d=\partial+\bar{\partial}$. Hence
\begin{align*}
\Theta_h
= -\bar{\partial}\partial\varphi
= \partial\bar{\partial}\varphi.
\end{align*}
[/guided]
[/step]
[step:Multiply by $i$ to obtain the stated real curvature convention]
Multiplying the identity $\Theta_h=\partial\bar{\partial}\varphi$ by the scalar $i\in\mathbb{C}$ gives
\begin{align*}
i\Theta_h = i\partial\bar{\partial}\varphi.
\end{align*}
This is exactly the asserted consequence.
[/step]