The poem "Hou Ting Hua Po Zi" (后庭花破子) expresses the author's melancholy and despair as he reflects on the passing of time and the challenges of aging on a cold winter night. The fading starlight ("寒星") and flickering candle ("游烛") symbolize the waning of life. The dew-covered "cui qiao" (翠翘, eyebrows) and withered flowers on the colorful garment ("残花附彩衣") represent the faded beauty of youth. The poet laments that the passing years have left him with an incurable ailment ("岁成疾"), perhaps referring to the emotional wounds and the physical decline that come with age. For nine years ("九年"), he has been seeking a way to heal, but the search seems endless, leaving him wondering when, if ever, he will find relief ("待何日，方可医"). The poem is a poignant expression of the author's deepest sorrows and the challenges of growing older.

In the untitled poem "Chai Tou Feng" (钗头凤), the author reflects on the tranquility and melancholy of autumn, while expressing a sense of regret and longing. The "qiu hua" (秋华, autumn splendor) is washed away, and the "qiu sheng" (秋声, autumn sounds) are silent. The music of the "yu yin" (羽音, feather instruments) is hasty and the strings of the "shang xian" (商弦, shang mode) are delicate. The river waves ("江浪") are gentle, the mountain mist ("山烟") is faint, and the moon hides behind the mast as the evening boat drifts leisurely. The pace is slow ("慢"), emphasizing the tranquility of the scene.

The author’s heart is cleansed of worldly dust (“尘心洗”) and has abandoned fleeting fame (“浮名弃”). They now recall the loneliness and detachment (“离索”) of half a lifetime (“半生”). As the autumn rain subsides (“秋雨初歇”), new autumn feelings arise (“秋情新漫”). The poet’s heart is filled with a sense of regret or unfulfillment (“憾”), which is repeated three times to emphasize the depth of this emotion.

In the poem "Huan Xi Sha" (浣溪沙), titled "Zao Shan Bo" (皂衫薄), the author describes a sensual and intimate scene between lovers during the transition from spring to summer. Inside the "jiang zhang" (绛帐, crimson curtains), there is no wind, and the sun's shadow is scorching ("日影灼"). The beautiful person ("佳人") is slow to rise, their rosy cheeks flushed ("朱颜酡"). Their cherry lips ("樱唇") part leisurely, and their fingers lightly tap ("指轻啄"), hinting at playful and intimate gestures.

The poet sighs, lamenting that spring is fading and the flowers are gradually aging (“欲叹春残花渐老”). However, they then note that summer is in full bloom, and the “zao shan” (皂衫, dark or black shirt) is thin (“薄”), suggesting the lightness and transparency of the garment in the summer heat. The lover’s jade-like skin (“玉肌”) emits a fragrance that permeates the soft, gauzy fabric (“软烟罗”), creating a sensual and alluring atmosphere.

In the poem "Qing Yu An" (青玉案), titled "Jiang Lou Dui Ying" (江楼对影), the author expresses deep sorrow and loneliness while drinking alone in a river tower, reflecting on the passing of time and the fleetingness of life. As the evening approaches, the poet drinks with their own reflection in the river tower ("江楼对影相酌晚"). The rain falls faintly ("雨暗洒"), and the river waves are turbulent ("江波乱"), mirroring the poet's troubled state of mind.

When the sorrow becomes too intense, even the wine tastes bland (“愁至浓时嫌酒淡”). The poet alludes to the legend of the “Xiang Fei” (湘妃, the goddess of the Xiang River), whose tears were exhausted, and the gibbons who cried until their hearts broke (“啼猿肠断”), emphasizing the depth of their own grief as they drink alone by the clear river (“独醉清江畔”).

Suddenly, the evening oriole’s trembling song awakens the poet (“忽唤醒暮莺啼颤”). They seize the moment, riding the apricot-scented wind as the misty haze dissipates (“乘杏风烟霭摧散”). The fragrance of the river’s angelica permeates the willow banks (“汀芷香侵杨柳岸”), and the moon is beautiful on this spring night (“春宵月好”). The poet urges themselves not to sigh over this wonderful moment (“良辰休叹”) but laments that the enchanting time is too short (“但恨更香短”).

The poem "Xi Bao Li Zan" (细胞礼赞) is a reverent ode to the cell, the fundamental unit of life. The author poses a series of questions about the origins and mysteries of life, asking who awakened life at the beginning of time ("太古之初，谁醒唤之"), how life began before it took shape ("生命未形，何以始之"), and what sustains the emergence of new life ("新生偶现，何能续之"). The poet wonders about the Cambrian explosion ("寒武之爆") and what guides the flight of cranes ("鹤游云山") and the swimming of fish ("鱼翔河海").

The author marvels at the force that shapes the bodies of giant elephants (“巨象之躯”) and the power of earthworms to regenerate when cut (“地龙何德，断则又育”). They ponder the formation of coral reefs (“珊瑚丛丛”) and the activities of birds (“雀鸟何鸣”) and beasts (“走兽何行”). The poet asks what brings forth life in spring (“何以春生”) and what causes growth in autumn (“何以秋成”), as well as the development of horns (“角何所生”) and scales (“鳞何所长”).

The answer to all these questions, the author asserts, is the cell (“惟细胞也”). The poet then proceeds to praise the cell, marveling at its tiny form (“观渺渺兮其形”) and bestowing upon it a noble name (“赐尊名兮细胞”). The cell is lauded for shaping DNA for inheritance (“塑核酸兮遗传”), combining proteins for strength (“合蛋白兮予力”), generating energy in mitochondria (“线粒体兮产能”), and self-digesting in lysosomes (“溶酶体兮自噬”). Membrane proteins receive commands (“膜蛋白兮受命”), and exosomes transmit messages (“外泌体兮传音”).

The poet marvels at the epithelial cells of the skin (“观皓腕兮上皮”), the red blood cells and connective tissues (“洒赤血兮结缔”), the strength of muscle cells (“力拔山兮肌肉”), and the sensitivity of nerve cells (“闻楚歌兮神经”). Finally, the author exclaims that the beauty of all living beings lies in their cells (“众生之美兮皆细胞”) and that even the greatest praise cannot fully capture their wonder (“纵登太一兮难尽颂”).