Unlike other directors to emerge in recent years, Sheng has had no formal training.

He instead began his career as a line producer, screenwriter, and assistant director for other filmmakers like Jia Zhangke, Fruit Chan and Zhang Yang.

[1] Sheng's first, and so far only directorial effort was 2006's Bliss, a family drama set in the central Chinese city of Chongqing.

[3] It also screened at the 2007 Shanghai International Film Festival, where it picked up a best picture prize for the New Talent side-competition.

[1] He also considers Jia Zhangke, Fruit Chan, and Yasujirō Ozu among his favorite filmmakers.