The first piece is 梅花三弄 (Three Variations of the Plum Blossom Theme). Its earliest source is thought to be around the 4th century, but this rendition is based on motifs transcribed in 1425. Ten sections make up the piece. The first part begins with the evening moon over mountain streams, and subsequent sections portray clouds, cool breeze, flutes, and plum blossoms tossed in the wind. The music ends with a series of harmonics.
The next recording is of 流水 (Flowing Water). The song alludes to the story of a guqin player Boya and his friend Ziqi, who was the only person to understand his music. When Boya played the piece depicting lofty mountains, Ziqi immediately recognized it as such. When Boya played music describing flowing water, Ziqi identified it. After Ziqi died, Boya cut the strings of his guqin and never returned to playing. Various transcriptions survive from the 1500s.