Zhou Bangyan (1056-1121) was a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Meicheng and his pseudonym was Qingzhen Jushi. He was from Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He served as the principal of the Imperial College, a professor of Luzhou, and the magistrate of Lishui County. He was a relatively unfocused person in his youth, but he loved reading very much. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song, he wrote “Fu of Biandu” to praise the new law. During the reign of Emperor Huizong, he served as the attendant of Huiyou Pavilion and the director of Dashengfu (the highest music agency). He was proficient in music and had created many new tunes. Most of his works were about love and travel, and there were also works about objects. His rhythm was strict, his language was elegant and graceful, and he was especially good at narrating long tunes. He was the model of later poets of the rhythm school. His works were long respected as “authentic” among the graceful poets. The old theory of poetry called him “the crown of poets” or “Lao Du in poetry”. There is “Qingzhen Jushi Collection”, which has been lost, and “Pianyu Collection” is now preserved.
周邦彦（1056—1121），北宋词人。字美成，号清真居士，钱塘（今浙江杭州）人。官历太学正、庐州教授、知溧水县等。少年时期个性比较疏散，但相当喜欢读书，宋神宗时，写《汴都赋》赞扬新法。徽宗时为徽猷阁待制，提举大晟府（最高音乐机关）。精通音律，曾创作不少新词调。作品多写闺情、羁旅，也有咏物之作。格律谨严，语言曲丽精雅，长调尤善铺叙。为后来格律派词人所宗。作品在婉约词人中长期被尊为“正宗”。旧时词论称他为“词家之冠”或“词中老杜”。有《清真居士集》，已佚，今存《片玉集》。
《浣溪沙·翠葆参差竹径成》 周邦彦
翠葆参差竹径成，
新荷跳雨泪珠倾。
曲阑斜转小池亭。
风约帘衣归燕急，
水摇扇影戏鱼惊。
柳梢残日弄微晴。
Silk-washing Stream
Zhou Bangyan
Bamboos over the lane form a canopy green;
On new lotus leaves raindrops leap and pound like tears.
By zigzag railings a poolside pavilion appears.
Swallows come back in haste when wind rolls window-screen;
Fish start when the fan’s shadow in water sways.
The setting sun on willow lips sheds parting rays.
