周美 (生卒年月不详)，北宋将领。字子纯，灵州回乐县(今宁夏吴忠境内)人。周美少年从军，在朔方军当一个普通士兵。宋咸平五年(1002) ，李继迁攻占灵州后，他作为难民，逃离家乡流落到京都开封，受到宋真宗的召见，收为禁军士兵，担任皇帝随身侍卫。
周美不久就提升为军侯，被调往陕西路戍边。参加过对西夏军的方渠、九井原、乌仑河等战斗，表现勇敢，大败敌军。因功升任武都虞候。宋康定元年 (1040)、夏天授礼法延祚三年 (1040)正月，爆发宋夏三川口大战，宋军大败，震惊朝野。宋廷改派夏竦为陕西经略安抚招讨使。夏竦认为周美在对夏作战中，表现出有勇有谋的素质，因此很赏识他，提升他担任供备库使、延州兵马都监。其间，周美向陕西经略安抚招讨副使兼知延州范仲淹请准，修复曾被夏军攻占的延州门户金明寨。他说： “夏人新得志，其势必复来。金明当边冲，我之蔽也; 今不亟完，将遂失之。”果然，当金明寨刚修好不久，夏军数万人马就来抢夺该寨。周美领两千宋军迎战，因敌众我寡，又没有后援部队的支持，周美两次巧布疑兵，吓退夏军，守住了战略要塞金明寨，因功加文思使，升任知保定军。但被鄜延都总管、缘边经略使庞籍挽留，改任陕西东路都巡检使。
皈依罐
Jar for the Ceremony of Initiating people as Buddhists
宋庆历年间 (1041～1048) ，周美在与夏军作战中，总是自愿找硬仗打，并能以弱制强，以少胜多。他常说： “兵常以寡击众，何自怯也! ”宋庆历二年 (1042)，即夏天授礼法延祚五年 (1042)四月，夏军侵占宋朝控制的承平寨 (今陕西子洲南)，宋洛苑副使、知环州种世衡，命令部将们各带三天口粮，直捣敌穴，夺回失地。周美劝说： “彼知吾来，必设伏待我，不如间道掩其不意。”种世衡不听。只有周美一军从山中小道悄悄逼近敌人，未被发现，并在芙蓉谷、拓跋谷，出其不意，突然发起进攻，大败夏军。世衡和其他各军都无功而返。这一仗周美独建奇功， 再升为骐使。庞籍、 范仲淹都夸周美是将帅之才， 一致保举他升任鄜延路兵马都监、贺州刺史。以后，周美又于无定河战斗中打败夏军，并乘胜追至绥州，杀党项酋豪，焚其庐帐，并筑龙口平寨。他的军事才干和忠勇精神被朝廷发现之后，便受到特别重用而步步升迁，先后担任过鄜延路钤辖、副总管，龙神卫四厢都指挥使，陵州团练使，步军副都指挥使，遂州观察使，鄜延路副都总管，耀州观察使、马军副都指挥使等许多高级军职。甚至还让他出任过侍卫亲军马军殿前都虞候的特殊要职。在宋夏对抗的年代中，宋廷软弱，边将受屈，战多失利，人民得不到保护而流离失所。只有周美率领的一支精兵，前后与夏军发生大小战斗十余次，共扫平敌帐二百二十多座，招引番部内附达十一族，收复和修建城堡甚多，屡立战功，被边民称为战无不胜的常胜将军，令夏军闻风丧胆。由于周美立功多，打胜仗多，所以他得到的各种奖赏也多，但他把所有赏金都如数分发给部队官兵，直到去世后，他也“家无余资” ，只有满身的伤疤。他被宋廷追赠为忠武军节度使，谥“忠毅”。
菱花形人物楼阁纹铜镜
Lotus Bronze Mirror Sculptured with Figures and Pavilion
周永清 (生卒年月不详)，北宋将领。字肃之。周美的孙子。受祖荫为官， 初任门祗候， 素以忠勇而著称。
宋皇祐四年 (1052)，周永清作为使者，监押赠送给西夏的服装到夏境宥州 (今陕西靖边东)边界交割。这是自庆历四年 (1044)宋夏议和后，宋朝每年以 “赏赐” 名义送给西夏的衣物。按照礼规，西夏人在受 “赐”时要跪着接受。而这一次西夏人在受赐时，竟傲慢无礼而不下跪。周永清为了维护宋朝的尊严，对受赐夏臣严厉责问，终使西夏使臣下跪。回朝后，朝廷奖励他为国争光而升为通事舍人、渭州钤辖。
周永清到渭州上任后，看到兵士们虽骁勇但不懂阵法，他便采用唐朝大将李靖的兵法为式样，对部队进行严格的训练，使军容大为改观，战斗力大幅度提升。上级将帅们对于这种训练方法大加赞扬，并将周永清改进过的阵法，详细绘图加上文字说明，一并报送给朝廷。朝廷颁旨，命令全国各地的驻军都要按周永清的练兵方式训练部队。
周永清担任秦凤路钤辖、河北沿边安抚副使、代州知州期间，辽无理向宋廷提出割地要求，而宋朝软弱无能，竟然命令他和大臣韩缜一同担任划割土地的使者。周永清愤怒上表坚决反对这一做法，他说： “疆境不可轻与人，职守土，不愿行。”但朝廷在主和派的把持下，仍然一意孤行。他再次上表力陈利害关系，也没有得到采纳，仍要他必须执行朝廷的命令。周永清一气之下，以母亲身体有病为理由，辞掉官职回到家乡去当农民。
不久，周永清又被重新任用，历任高阳关、定州、泾原路钤辖，知泾州、 保州、 定州路副总管等职。最后在东上门使职位上病逝。 史书对周永清 “不以地与敌” 的言行大为歌颂，认为武人不仅要有 “勇” ，更要有 “忠” ，忠勇兼备，“尤武士之所难能也” 。周永清是一名勇敢善战、忠于国家的模范军人。
Zhou Mei(the exactdates ofhis birth anddeath are unknown) was a general ofthe Northern Song Dynasty. His style name was Zichun，his hometown was in Huile county of Lingzhou (Wuzhong in Ningxia Province today). ZhouMei became a soldier in Shuofang army when he was young. In the 5th year of Xianping of the Song Dynasty(1002)，Li Jiqian occupied Lingzhou. Zhou Mei went to Kaifei as a refugee. There he was interviewed by Zhenzong Emperor of the Song Dynasty and chosen to be one of the imperial guards，then became a personal guard of the emperor.
Soon，Zhou Mei was promoted to Junhou and was appointed to the border of Shaanxi Road. He fought against the army of the Western Xia bravely in the battle of Fangqu，Jiujinyuan and Wulun River and defeated the enemies. Because of his merits in the battlefield，he was promoted to Wudu Yuhou. In the first month of the lunar year of the Kangding of the Song Dynasty namely the 3rd year of Tianshou Lifa Yanzuo of the Western Xia (1040)，there was Sanchuankou battle between the Song and the Xia.The court of the Song Dynasty was shocked when the army of Song was defeated. The government of the Song Dynasty appointed Xia Song to Shaanxi Jinglue Anfu Zhaotao Shi. Xia Song found Zhou Mei was courageous in the battle; he appreciated Zhou Meiand promoted him to Cushi，Yanzhou Bingma Dujian. During this period，Zhou Mei asked for the permission of Fan Zhongyan，Shaanxi Jinglue Anfu Zhaotaoshi and Zhiyanzhou，and rebuilt Jinming stockade，the natural gate of Yanzhou，Which was once occupied by the Western Xia. He said that： "The Western Xia got victory and became proud，they will come back again. Jinming stockade is a very important place and it is our natural barrier. If we do not repair it，we will lose it." As expected，soon after Jinming stockade was repaired，several hundred thousands soldiers of the Western Xia came and wanted to seize the stockade. Because Zhou Mei had no reinforcement，but only 2000 soldiers，he didn't fight against his enemies directly. He used martial strategies for 2 times and frightened the enemy and got successes. Because of this big triumph，Zhou Mei was promoted to Wensishi and Zhi Baodingjun. But Zhou Mei was persuaded to stay by Pang Ji，Fuyan Duzongguan，Yuanbian Jinglueshi，and held a post of Shaanxi East Road Duxunjianshi.
During the reign of Qinli of the Song Dynasty(1041-1048)，Zhou Mei often volunteered taking part in tough battles against the Western Xia. And he would get victory with less strong martial power and less soldiers. He often said that： "It is very common to fight against the enemy with fewer soldiers than enemy. Why should we becowardly? " In April of the 2nd year of Qinli of the Song Dynasty (1042)，namely the5th year of Tianshou Lifa Yanzuo of the Western Xia (1042)，the Xia occupied Chengping stockade (the south of Zizhou in Shaanxi Province today) which had been controlled by the Song Dynasty. Zhong Shiheng，Luoyuan Fushi and Zhihuanzhou of the Song Dynasty，ordered his soldiers，taking 3 days food，fight against the enemy directly and try to regain the lost-territory in the shortest time. Zhou Mei did not agree with him and argued that： "If the enemy knows we come，they will make a trap for us.I think we'd better attack them secretly." Zhong Shiheng did not listen to him. As a result，only Zhou Mei's army approached Xia's army secretly through the shortcut in the mountains and launched an attack out of the enemy's expectation in Furong valley and Tuobo valley and got victory. Zhong Shiheng's army and other general's armies had no chance to fight. Zhou Mei was famous for this battle and he was promoted to Qiling Shi. Both Pang Ji and Fan Zhongyan regarded Zhou Mei as a military talent，and recommended him to the post of Fuyan Road Bingma Dujian，Hezhou Cishi. Later，Zhou Mei defeated Xia's army in Wuding River，pursued the enemy to Suizhou，killed many important persons of Tanguts and burned their tents and built Longkouping stockade. Since his military talent was discovered by the court of the Song Dynasty，Zhou Mei held many important posts： Fuyan Road Qianxia，Fu Zongguan，Longshenweisixiang Duzhihuishi，Lingzhoutuan Lianshi，Bujun Fudu Zhihuishi，Suizhou Guanchashi，Fuyan Road Fudu Zongguan，Yaozhou Guanchashi，Majun Fuduzhihuishi etc. He even held the special post of Shiwei Qinjun Majundianqian Duyuhou. During the period of the fighting between the Song and the Xia，the people became homeless and wandered from place to place. The emperor of the Song was weak and incompetent，the generals who were on guard of the border were wronged and the army of the Song was defeated in the most of the battles. Zhou Mei's army was very famous because this selected troop took part in more than 10 battles against Xia，destroyed more than 220 camps，conquered more than 11 tribes，recovered many lostterritories and rebuilt many lost-stockades. Zhou Mei was called "Triumph General" by the people. Xia's army was afraid of his name. Because of his achievements and victories in the battlefield，Zhou Mei got many kinds of awards and a lot of money. But Zhou Mei divided all of his awards and money among his soldiers and had nothing but scars all of the body when he died. The Song Dynasty subsequently endorsed him as Zhongwu Jiedushi. And his posthumous title was "Zhongyi".
Zhou Yongqing (we don't know when he was born and when he died)，thegrandson of Zhou Mei，a general of the Northern Song Dynasty. His style name was Suzhi. Zhou Yongqing got a post of Gemen Zhihou because of Zhou Mei's achievement and Zhou Yongqing was famous for his bravery.
In the 4th year of Huangyou period in Song Dynasty (1052)，as an emissary，Zhou Yongqing escorted the clothes given by the Song to Youzhou (the east part of Jingbian in Shaanxi Province) and handed over the things to the Western Xia. Since the 4th year of Qinli when the Song and the Xia met an agreement，the Song would give clothes to the Western Xia in the term of "granting". According to the diplomatic rules，the emissaries from the Western Xia should kneel down when they accepted the grant. But this time，the persons from the Western Xia were overbearing and insolent and refused to kneel down. Zhou Yongqing was very angry. He asked the emissaries from the Western Xia in a reproachful tone and forced them to knell down. When he retuned to the Song，he was promoted to Tongshi Sheren and Weizhou Qianxia.
When Zhou Yongqing held the post of Weizhou Qianxia，he found the soldiers knew nothing about battle array although they were brave. He learned from the military strategy of Li Jing，the general of the Tang Dynasty，and trained his troops strictly. Then，the soldiers' disciplines，appearance and bearing were greatly improved; their fighting capacity was greatly developed. The generals of higher ranks praised his training methods. They illustrated his training methods with pictures and words in detail and reported all the things to the court. The court issued a decree and ordered all the troops in the country do the training in the way of Zhou Yongqing.
When Zhou Yongqing held the posts of Qinfeng Road Qianxia and Hebei Yanbian Anfufushi，Liao of Qidan asked the Song cede territory. The court of Song ordered Zhou Yongqing and another courtier Han Zhen to be emissaries of ceding territory. Zhou Yongqing was very angry and he wrote a letter to the court and objected the decision. He said that： "The borders should not cede to the others. My duty is guarding our territory and I will not do this kind of things." The court of the Song，controlled by the courtiers who wanted to get peace through ceding，did not listen to Zhou Yongqing's advice and insisted on ceding. Zhou Yongqing wrote another to the court and analyzed the situation. His advice was still not accepted，and the court ordered him to obey the order. Zhou Yongqing was enraged and he resigned under the pretext of his mother's illness and became a farmer.
Soon，Zhou Yongqing was chosen by the court again. From then on he held many official posts： Gaoyangguan Qianxia，Dingzhou Qianxia，Jingyuan Road Qianxia，Zhijingzhou，Zhibaozhou，Dingzhou Road Fuzongguan and etc. He died in the post of Dongshanggemen. The history books gave a high praise to Zhou Yongqing because "he did not cede territory to the enemy". And the book said that，as a real warrior，he should be brave and loyal. Zhou Yongqing was a real model warrior who was both brave and loyal and good at martial strategies. Ⓔ
