Lady Yu was chosen to be a concubine at the age of 13 (by East Asian reckoning), on the basis of belonging to a "good family", and her mother's clan members were all honoured and favoured people.
In 138, her daughter Liu Sheng was conferred the title "Grand Princess of Wuyang".
[3] In 143, Lady Yu gave birth to Emperor Shun's only son: Liu Bing.
According to Book of the Later Han, due to General Liang Ji's violent seizure of power, Lady Yu's clan feared Liang Ji doing them harm and avoided court positions and honours, and was thus considered simply a "grand family".
[4] On 24 November 175,[5] Emperor Ling of Han honoured Lady Yu as mother of Emperor Chong by bestowing her the higher harem rank "noble lady of Xian hill" (宪园贵人), together with bestowing the title "concubine of Prince Xiao of Bohai" on Lady Chen, mother of Emperor Zhi of Han.