《*后的土司》故事發(fā)生在兵荒馬亂年代的長江三峽邊的一個土家山寨。伍娘是一個啞女，但聰穎過人舞技絕世；無意中撞進山寨的外鄉(xiāng)人李安因偷吃土家祭祀的供品受到重罰；土司覃堯看似罰他卻是救他，并許諾將伍娘許與李安。伍娘出嫁前夜按照祖先賦予的初夜權(quán)，將自己奉獻給了神。土司覃堯作為神的化身得到了伍娘但與此同時才發(fā)現(xiàn)自己原本深愛著這個女子，從此陷入深深的痛苦。
李安不能接受山寨的習俗，將對伍娘的喜愛化成了厭惡和仇恨，不斷給純潔無辜的伍娘以傷害，土司覃堯卻因信義而只能默默地忍受煎熬無法相助，火焰一般的愛恨情仇之間，美麗的伍娘以她的生命完成了*后的舞蹈。李安逃離山寨，覃堯在長江邊堵住了他，命運將指向何方？結(jié)局給讀者留下了無盡遐想。
The Last Tusi tells a story of a Tujia village in the Three Gorges wracked by war. Wu Niang, a mute girl gifted with exceptional intelligence, accidentally encounters Li An, an outsider arrested and punished by the Tujia. The chief of the Tujia people, Qin Yao, promises to marry Wu Niang to Li An. However, the night before Wu Niang becomes his bride, she makes a decision that will change their lives forever.
在外鄉(xiāng)人與土家人激烈的文化沖突之中，火焰一般的愛恨情仇煎熬著身處其中的每個人。葉梅以細致而生動的筆觸描寫了土家文化傳統(tǒng)、情感生活與土司制度的變革。她的文字里流淌著土家族的血脈，敘述著大巴山的傳說。
作為一個土性的小說家，葉梅的目光幾乎從來就沒有離開過她所熟悉的大巴山。她的幾乎所有作品的敘事焦點，都集中在大山里的土家人身上。在中篇小說《山上有個洞》中，葉梅揭示了土司之間的權(quán)力斗爭，寫出了土司制度的變革和終結(jié)，寫出了新一代土家人生活方式的巨大變化；《*后的土司》則敘寫的是外鄉(xiāng)人與土家人的文化沖突與和解，細致而生動地描寫了土家人的文化習慣和情感生活；《撒憂的龍船河》的故事則憂傷而沉重，包含著強烈的情感沖突和尖銳的道德主題。
序言
葉梅，女，土家族，中國作協(xié)主席團委員、著有小說集《花燈，像她那雙眼睛》《撒憂的龍船河》《五月飛蛾》《最后的土司》《九種聲音》《第一種愛》《回到恩施》《妹娃要過河》，散文集《我的西蘭卡普》《朝發(fā)蒼梧》《大翔鳳》《從小到大》《穿過拉夢的河流》、評論研究《葉梅研究專集》等。有多部作品被選載、翻譯、獲獎。葉梅的小說對民族文化的表現(xiàn)，對于現(xiàn)代性的批判和反思，其提供的角度給人以啟示，她并不是以哀怨的姿態(tài)或者以批判姿態(tài)去夸張地表達民族文化與現(xiàn)代文明之間的裂痕，而是采取一種chao越的立場，極力展示民族文化、地域文化本身的美感，構(gòu)成了對于中國現(xiàn)代文學傳統(tǒng)的一種重要反思。
Ye Mei, a female writer of Tujia ethnic nationality, is currently a member of the presidium of China Writers Association. To date, she has published novels, novellas, and prose that, amongst many others, include The Melancholy Dragon Boat River,The Moth in May，My Xilankapu,River Threading through Lameng. Her critical studies include Studies on Ye Mei. Many of her works have been awarded literary prizes and been reprinted and translated into other languages. One can discern in her novels an inspiring perspective in her expressions of racial culture and her criticisms and reflections on modernity. Rather than a plaintive or an overly critical voice that deplores, in an exaggerated manner, the ruptures between ethnic culture and modern civilization，she has approached her themes from the standpoint of transcendence, with the utmost demonstration of the beauty of her ethnic and regional cultures, which constitutes a significant reflection on the modern Chinese literary tradition.
Contents
Flower Tree, Flower Tree 1
Dragon Boat River Full of Sorrow 74
Cave Within the Mountains 143
The Moth in May 195
The Last Chieftain 252
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