He was originally from Wuxing in Zhejiang Province, although spent most of his life in the city of Shanghai where he was a successful businessman-banker.
Wang Zhen was a master calligrapher as well as a painter of flowers, birds, personages and Buddhist subjects.
He was closely associated with and considered the disciple of the painter Wu Changshuo.
Wang Zhen's paintings enjoy a considerable popularity in Japan where he had made many trips in his business and artistic career.
The Japanese reading of his courtesy name is Oh Ittei (おう いってい).