钟惺,字敬伯,竟陵人,明著名文学家,万历三十八年进士。谭元春,字友夏,与惺同乡,两人均为“竟陵派”创始人。《明史》卷二百八十八有两人小传,二人共同选定《诗归》,在当时影响很大。关于《诗归》的成书时间,谭元春在《退谷先生墓志铭》中写到: Zhong Xing, the word Jing Bo, Jingling people, well-known writer, Wanli thirty-eight years Jinshi. Tan Yuanchun, the word friend Xia, and Hsien fellow, both are “Jingling faction ” founder. Two hundred and eighty-eight “Ming Dynasty” volume two people biography, two jointly selected “poetry return”, at that time a great impact. On the “poem” into the book time, Tan Yuanchun “Retired Mr. Epitaph” wrote: