There are more than 130 poems written by Xie Tiao today. In his early years, when he was under the King of Jingling, most of his poems were chanting things, such as Zhuzhi Fu, Qinfu and Jingtai Fu, which were all games at banquets. Later, he wrote many landscape poems praising natural scenery, such as You Shan, You Jing Ting Shan and You Dong Tian. The following is quoted from the poem "You Dongtian", in which the phrase "fish plays a new role" is widely used as a painting theme by later generations:
Youdongtian
We share joys and sorrows and enjoy happiness hand in hand.
Looking for the cloud-tired pavilion, looking at the mushroom pavilion with the mountain.
The distant trees warm the building, and the smoke is boundless.
Fish play with new lotus, birds scatter flowers and fall.
If you don't smell spring wine, you still look forward to Qingshan Guo.