First, the use of montage. "The Good Person of Three Gorges" employs a plate structure, dividing the plot into four sections: "Cigarettes, Alcohol, Tea, and Sugar." The introduction of this plate structure disrupts the regularity or even the commonality of a linear structure. While this common plate structure is often accompanied by the use of parallel and cross-montage, "The Good Person of Three Gorges" takes a bolder approach, abandoning cross-montage in its plot, allowing the two sections to progress independently. Yet, they simultaneously serve the common theme of "the realities of life at the bottom of society." The four sections differ in form but share a common essence. "Cigarettes" are a panacea for the migrant workers at the bottom of society. They are a shared luxury and the most effective tool for fostering rapport. A mango cigarette box with an address on it is Han Sanming's only clue to Fengjie. "Alcohol," the only local product Han Sanming brought across the mountains and rivers, is the key to his efforts to curry favor with his brother-in-law. However, his brother-in-law dismisses him with a casual, "I won't drink your wine. I'm not your brother." Shanxi liquor can't rekindle the bonds of commerce, but mango cigarettes can create a righteous friend. Let's try new tea with a new fire, and enjoy poetry and wine while we're young. "Tea" is the only thing Shen Hong's husband left her. A repetitive mineral water bottle symbolizes her impoverished life in Shanxi. Like countless other rural women, Shen Hong feels helpless when her husband leaves for work. Drinking the aged tea left by her husband, facing a marriage that exists in name only, Shen Hong chooses to let go with dignity. If reality is truly bitter, then cinema should also offer a piece of comforting "candy." The White Rabbit candy that Xiao Ma Ge ate before his death represents his excitement and anticipation for the 50 yuan he was about to receive. Nestled in an unfinished building, Han Sanming and Ma Yaomei share a piece of White Rabbit milk candy, a symbol of a better life. The use of parallel montage is not surprising; what truly moves the audience is the hidden realities of the four elements—"cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and candy"—that are revealed. This masterful use of metaphorical montage is another specialty of director Jia Zhangke, also seen in "A Touch of Sin," where each animal represents the distinct personality of a different person. The difference lies in the metaphorical montage of "A Touch of Sin" that emphasizes characterization, while "Still Life" emphasizes the helplessness of the lower classes facing fate.

Secondly, the cinematography is crucial. "Still Life" employs masterful filming techniques. To express realism, it naturally emphasizes documentary quality. Long, drawn-out shots aside, the constantly flashing ruins, distant mountains, and other aerial shots truly capture realism. When realism collides with surrealism, every character's movement becomes especially striking: a flying saucer soaring over distant mountains, a rocket soaring behind them, and even a tightrope walker outside an unfinished building. These surrealist themes veil the mundane realities of life in a magical veil. The often-criticized characters' numb performances and stiff movements, under the surrealist veil, further highlight the pain and oppression of people tormented by fate. Without overly gimmicky camera movements, numerous fixed shots showcase the complexities of their lives, allowing each viewer to "peek" into the struggles of the lower classes against their fate. It is precisely this forced indifference that fills us with a sense of oppression and helplessness. We feel firsthand the struggle and anxiety overflowing from the characters.

Let art reflect life. Fengjie, not just Fengjie; each of our spiritual homes is sinking. Rather than absurd surrealism, this is a highly effective use of symbolism. Beyond ideals, every budding artistic aesthetic is rooted in the soil of reality. Boldly infusing surrealism into films that express realistic themes is the solid foundation for the director to build an artistic tower amidst the ruins of reality, and it is also the glittering pearl atop that tower.