Zuo Fen was born in Linzi prefecture to a family of Confucian scholars.
She got a good literary education[2] and often played word games with her brother, Zuo Si, who would become a famous writer as well.
Her expression of dissatisfaction with life at the palace, which was rare, did not make her lose favour and she was raised to the highest rank of noble concubine.
[3] The emperor regularly commanded writings from her, but she was often ill and did not play a political role at court.
[4] When Empress Yang Yan died, she wrote a song of mourning in her honour.