Wang Zhaojun was born to a prominent family of Zigui country,Nan county (now Xingshan county,Hubei) in the south of the Western Han empire.She entered the harem of Emperor Yuan probably after 40 BC.During her time in the Lateral Courts,Wang Qiang was never visited by the emperor and remained as a palace lady-in-waiting.When choosing a new wife,the Emperor was first presented with portraits of all the possible women.Wang Zhaojun's portrait was either never viewed by the Emperor,or was not in its true form,and therefore the Emperor overlooked her.
In 33 BC,Huhanye visited Chang'an on a homage trip,as part of the tributary system between the Han and Xiongnu.He took the opportunity to ask to be allowed to become an imperial son-in-law.Instead of honouring the chanyu with a princess,Huhanye was presented with five women from the imperial harem,one of them who was Wang Zhaojun.
A story from the Hou Han Shu relates that Wang Zhaojun volunteered to join the shanyu.When summoned to court,her beauty astonished the emperor's courtiers and made the emperor reconsider his decision to send her to the Xiongnu.
Wang Zhaojun became a favourite of the Huhanye shanyu,giving birth to two sons.Only one of them seems to have survived,Yituzhiyashi (伊屠智牙师).They also had at least one daughter,Yun (云),who was created Princess Yimuo and who would later become a powerful figure in Xiongnu politics.When Huhanye died in 31 BC,Wang Zhaojun requested to return to China.Emperor Cheng,however,ordered that she follow Xiongnu levirate custom and become the wife of the next shanyu,the oldest brother (or her stepson,born by her husband's first wife) of her husband.In her new marriage she had two daughters.
