 She was the second daughter of the paramount general Gao Huan, who, after a formal break with Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei in 534, made Xiaojing, then age 10, emperor, thus dividing Northern Wei into Eastern Wei and Western Wei.In 539, Gao Huan married her to Emperor Xiaojing.It is not known whether Emperor Xiaojing's only son known by name, Yuan Zhangren (元長仁), who was created crown prince in 549, was her son or not.