植物標本館建於1929年，裡面來往的人多半是上了年紀的志工，有時候很老很老的教授會來串門子，我趁空閒之際瞄一下四周的環境，這裡連花瓶裡的花也是乾了的標本，如果用色調來形容，這裡的主色調是棕黃、土黃色和咖啡色。
TAI Herbarium was established in 1929, and it is one of the oldest buildings in National Taiwan University. Every day retired volunteers come and go here. From time to time, really old used-to-be professors come for a chat. I glimpse the room before getting down to work. Even decorative flowers in the vase are dried. The main color tones here are withered-leaf yellow, ochre and brown.
每拿出一份泛黃報紙包的標本，我會稍微注意年份和當時的新聞，接下來便研究要如何美麗地把乾燥過的植物固定在台紙上，這不禁讓我想到，如果人體可以拿來這樣處理，我會希望自己以好看的姿態供後人研究。前輩們和我提到貼膠帶或縫線時，要注意視覺平衡，而膠帶要順著葉脈貼，原來關於死亡的很多道理和活著是一樣的。
The yet-to-be-made herbarium specimens are wrapped in old newspapers from different countries. First, I take a quick look at the year when the plant sample was collected, where it came from and the headlines in the papers. Next it takes time to figure out the layout, i.e., how the specimen can be best seen by researchers. This reminds me that if human bodies could be dealt with in a similar way, I'd hope to be beautifully displayed. My experienced colleagues teach me the importance of visual balance when I fix the specimen onto the paper with tape and threads. Also, the tape should be applied parallel to the veins. It turns out that life and death share much in common.
之前美欽聽我說要去做標本時，以為我是綠手指，我很不好意思地說，曾經放在辦公桌上的盆栽都被我毀得差不多了，她還是送了我一盆香草植物，我把這個禮物當做新的開始，每天認真地照顧它。從標本館回到家，心還被泛黃的氛圍籠罩著，可是一看到植物們無敵的生長速度，突然腦波的頻道從死亡轉到生命，我感到踏實的欣喜。
When I told Meichien I was learning to make herbarium specimens, she mistook me for a green thumb. I admitted in shame that I had killed all the bonsais on my office desk. Still, she gave me a small bonsai as a gift. I decided it would be a brand-new beginning for me, so I make efforts to take care of it on a daily basis.
Coming home from the herbarium, I am still obsessed with the thought about death. However, the visible growth of my plants pulls me back to the reality, and I feel the joy of life rising in me.
為什麼我喜歡植物？因為連生和死都在微妙之中看似淡淡地、卻深刻地上演。
Why do I have a thing for plants? Because life and death are played out in seeming subtlety while they can be so overwhelming deep down.
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