A, I think you would find Zhang Yimou's earlier films made with his then muse Gong Li fascinating and utterly absorbing, I doubt he will ever reach the heights of "Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou or any of the others again.

Please try and seek out these classics, I know you will find a lot to appreciate in them, enough to write an essay, certainly on the 2 I've listed.

Now they've been brought to mind, I wish I had them available to watch again. 

Cheers Trev.