In order to get a better understanding of Gao's ideas, he immersed himself in Gao's book Soul Mountain, and studied Gao's paintings. As a result, from the book and from the paintings he began to grasp the director's idea of something which is substantial yet insubstantial, and at the same time is right there in front of your face.
為了進一步瞭解導演的意念，聶光炎不斷重讀高行健的《靈山》，還研究他的畫，結果從書中、畫中找到導演所說的那種似有若無，卻又筆直站在你的眼前的那種意念。