Lu Yuan's exact birth date is unknown, but her appearance in official records suggests that she was born before 211 BC. She was born before her father
Liu Bang became a serious political contender, after which most of her early life was spent avoiding capture by enemy forces. In 204 BC, during the
Chu–Han Contention, the carriage of Lu Yuan and her brother
Liu Ying was pursued by forces of the Chu State.
Duke Teng, a member of the
Xiahou family, ordered the two to leave the carriage and replaced them with two decoy travellers to allow them to escape.
Liu Bang was proclaimed Emperor Gaozu of the
Han dynasty in 202 BC. Lu Yuan's mother
Empress Lü Zhi had little power after her husband became emperor and was powerless to prevent
Emperor Gaozu from planning to marry Lu Yuan, as the
daughter of the legitimate wife, to a
Xiongnu leader to prevent the nomads from causing trouble on the northern border. However, Lu Yuan was married in 202 BC to
Zhang Ao, the
King of Zhao. Their daughter
Zhang Yan was married to Lu Yuan's younger brother
Liu Ying in November 192 BC, as part of their
mother's attempts to control the imperial household. In December 194 BC,
King Daohui of
Qi presented
Chengyang Commandery to Lu Yuan and honoured her as
Queen dowager. ==Burial==