She was a niece of Wang Muzhi, another empress of the Eastern Jin.
When Emperor Xiaowu was due to marry, the regent Xie An wanted to look for a noble family that was meek and virtuous.
Once she became empress, however, she became obsessed with drinking and was also proud and jealous, and Emperor Xiaowu was displeased.
He therefore summoned Wang Yun, his father-in-law, to ask him to counsel his daughter to change her ways.
She died in October 380 and was buried with honors due an empress.