吴国威，别名吴卓宇，1939年1月生，湖南省常宁市人。擅长版画、连环画、中国画。肄业于湖南文艺学院。常宁市文联主席、副研究馆员。系中国美术家协会会员、中国版画家协会会员。曾连任湖南省美协四届理事、湖南省美协版画艺委会成员、湖南省版画研究会副会长。曾任衡阳市美协主席，现为衡阳市美协名誉主席。
吴国威先后有700余件作品分别在中央、省级报刊和大型展览活动中发表、展出，其中有40余件次作品获奖并被收藏，还有多件作品几度出国展出。1996，以他的版画创作为题材的电视专题片《版画乡情》在中央电视台和美国熊猫电视台播出，产生良好的反响。1999年，他荣获中国版画界最高奖项——全国第二届“鲁迅版画奖”，常宁市也因此获得中国“版画之乡”的美誉，并载入《湖南省志——文化》。
2003年，已年过64岁的他不满足于已有的成就，也不顾自己年老体衰，以其独特的创意和愚公刻山的精神，克服了资金缺、人手少、环境差、路途远的困难，倾尽全力，把一座荆棘丛生的石山打造成了“中国印山”，使中国古老的篆刻艺术重新焕发出夺目的光彩。
2005年8月，中共衡阳市委宣传部、衡阳市人事局、衡阳市文化局、衡阳市文联决定：授予吴国威同志“优秀艺术家”荣誉称号，享受市级劳动模范待遇，并在全市广大文艺工作者中开展向吴国威同志学习的活动。
在湖南省常宁市庙前镇，有一座全国独有的“中国印山”，500多枚形态各异的朱红印章篆刻作品镶嵌在大大小小的石头上。倾力打造这座印山的，是常宁市文联主席吴国威。
“刻画”不忘“刻人”
吴国威，出生在湖南省常宁市宜阳镇，近40年来，他饱含对故土的一片深情，先后创作了《欢乐的山谷》、《同心同德》、《福在人间》、《瑶家风情》等630多件作品，在中央和省级报刊上发表。有两件被中国美术馆收藏，14件参加国家级展出，7件出国展览，40余件获省级以上奖励。1999年，他获得了全国版画界最高奖──鲁迅版画奖。
吴国威为人师表，不图回报，向他拜师学艺的络绎不绝，他毫无保留地传授版画雕刻艺术，在教育学生“刻画”的同时，还注重“刻人”，从而将艺术融入民间，融入版画创作者的血脉。
1979年春，农民版画作者尹伯刚在县文化馆认识了吴国威。此后，每隔一段时间，他都要在吴老师家住上几天，进行美术专业知识的训练。吴老师将他的吃住全包了。尹伯刚高考落榜后，吴国威经常记挂着回乡务农的他，县文化馆只要开办创作培训班，吴国威总要叫他来参加。尹伯刚绘制了一幅《牛娃》图，经吴国威点拨和修改，这幅作品获全国农民画评比二等奖，从此改变了他的命运。
如今，像尹伯刚这样的农民版画作者，常宁市不下300人，常宁版画群体先后创作版画作品2100余件，获省美展和全国性美展奖的有110多件。常宁版画以“浓郁的乡土气息”享誉省内外，吴国威不知为此倾注了多少心血。
萌生奇想造印山
8年前的一天，吴国威突然萌生奇想：目前全国还没有人把印章艺术以摩崖石刻的形式大规模地在大自然中表现，如果把中国几千年的篆刻精品刻于山水之间，在美景中展现艺术，让印章与奇石交融，促进文化、旅游共同发展，岂不两全其美？
他又想到了常宁市庙前镇金龙村那“养在深闺无人识”的石头山。那不是建印山最好的地方吗？无意中的“吻合”，令他激动不已。
2002年下半年，他把“中国印山”的创意在省文代会上介绍，得到许多文化名人的赞同。随即，他又向省、市文化部门和各级政府汇报，规划中的“中国印山”包括“一山三城”，即中国名人名章城、中国书法城、中国纪念印章城，主要按朝代先后分先秦、古代、近代、现代，摩崖镌刻印章2000枚以上，计划用5年完成，得到了政府有关部门的大力支持。
吴国威一辈子没放下过刻刀，此时已年过六旬的他，决心把“中国印山”当作人生最大的一件艺术品来雕刻。2003年5月16日，经他精心谋划的“中国印山”开山了。要在一座座野藤蔓延、荆棘密布的石崖上雕刻出一枚枚印章，谈何容易？没有资金，他将两万元稿费拿出来作启动资金；没有测量设备，他拿着一根100米长的绳子和几个指南针，用最原始的办法进行测量……花了整整两个月，他终于把200多亩山地以1:200的比例，绘在了160张组图上，平铺开来约有50平方米。
如何使中国印山与周边的奇山异石、小桥流水、风土人情融为一体？吴国威为此常常夜不能寐。他还提出在中国印山基础上建设“中国庙前地质公园”的设想，计划在2008年举办中国印文化节……
呕心沥血梦成真
刻印看上去很简单，只不过把原印放大后，刻在石头上而已。其实，它要经过选石、定位、打磨、选稿上石、雕刻、清洗、上色、拓片等19道工序，每一道工序不能有半点马虎。一次，在一块7.5米高的石头上，刻上了一枚“天地人和”的大印，第一次刻稍有走样，一般人看不出，但吴国威硬是把已刻了2.5厘米深的石头磨平，重新再刻。
金龙村那高高矮矮的山岗属于典型的石灰岩地形，大小不一的岩石错落有致地分布于山坡上。吴国威花了半年多时间，从荆棘与泥块中砍出了一片石林。为了所选印章具有代表性、艺术性、历史性，他从数万枚印章中挑了又挑，再三斟酌后才定稿。6年来，他深埋在一米多高的资料堆里，研究着每枚印章独有的字法、章法与刀法，一步一步完善心中的构想。
功夫不负有心人。如今，初具规模的“中国印山”以独特的艺术魅力吸引了众多参观者，前来这里旅游观光的游客已达6万余人次。

Wu Guowei, alias Wu Zhuoyu, unripe in January 1939, person of city of Hunan Province Chang Ning. Be good at woodcut, comic, China drawing. Study in school at Hunan literary institute. The chairman of couplet of article of Chang Ning city, deputy member that study a house. Academician of academician of department China artist, Chinese edition painter. Ever Hunan Province of be reappointed consecutively is beautiful assist 4 director, Hunan Province is beautiful assist woodcut art appoint vice-chairman of seminar of woodcut of conference member, Hunan Province. Ceng Renheng in relief city is beautiful assist chairman, it is beauty of Heng Yang city now assist honorary president.
Wu Guowei has more than 700 work early or late publish in centrally, provincial the press and large exhibition activity respectively, showpiece, among them bear the palm of more than 40 second work is collected, still have many work a few degrees go abroad showpiece. 1996, the TV special subject that is subject matter with his woodcut creation piece " woodcut country situation " centrally TV station and American panda TV station broadcast, produce good echo. 1999, he has the honor to win Chinese woodcut bound top prize -- the whole nation the 2nd " award of Lu Xun woodcut " , chang Ning city also obtains China accordingly " the countryside of woodcut " beautiful praise, load " Hunan Province annals -- culture " .
2003, he what already passed 64 years old is not satisfied at already some achievement, also disregard oneself aged body declines, with its distinctive originality is mixed I is fair the spirit of quarter hill, overcame capital to be short of, hand the difficulty with difference of little, environment, far journey, bend does his best, make the Shi Shan with a fascicular bramble into " China imprints hill " , new coruscate gives the seal cutting art that makes China old dazzing glorious.
In August 2005, couplet of article of city of bureau of bureau of occurrences in human life of town of department of propaganda of municipal Party committee of Heng Yang of the Communist Party of China, Heng Yang, culture of Heng Yang city, Heng Yang decides: Award Wu Guowei the comrade " outstanding artist " honorary title, enjoy city degree model worker pay, develop the activity that studies to Comrade Wu Guowei in whole town broad artist.
Press down before temple of city of Hunan Province Chang Ning, have a throughout the country particular " China imprints hill " , the work of vermilion seal seal cutting of each different enchases many 500 configuration to go up in greatly small stone. Bend force makes this imprint of hill, it is Wu Guowei of chairman of couplet of article of Chang Ning city.
"Depict " do not forget " quarter person "
Wu Guowei, be born in this world of appropriate of city of Hunan Province Chang Ning to press down, come nearly 40 years, he is full of a deep feeling to native land, created early or late " happy valley " , " be of one heart and one mind " , " blessing is in the world " , " precious jade an amorous feelings " wait for many 630 work, publish on centrally and provincial the press. Two are collected by Chinese art gallery, 14 attend national level to exhibit, 7 exhibitions going abroad, more than 40 win provincial above award. 1999, he acquired countrywide woodcut group award of woodcut of Lu Xun of ─ of top prize ─ .
Wu Guowei is person a person of exemplary virtue, do not pursue redound, do obeisance to Shi Xueyi's in an endless stream to him, he is without reservation to impart woodcut sculpture is artistic, teaching a student " depict " while, still pay attention to " quarter person " , blend in art folk thereby, blend in the hematic arteries and veins of the person that woodcut is created.
1979 spring, bai Gang of Yin of farmer woodcut author knew Wu Guowei in prefectural culture house. After this, every other period of time, he should live in on a few days in Mr. Wu, undertake the training of art major knowledge. Mr. Wu has his total package. After Yin Baigang the university entrance exam loses out, wu Guowei often is missing him of soil of return to one's native place, prefectural culture house wants open creation to groom only class, wu Guowei always should call him to attend. Yin Baigang scale " Niu Wa " graph, be taught via Wu Guowei and revise, this work obtains countrywide farmer to draw appraise through comparison second-class award, changed his destiny from now on.
Nowadays, bai Gang resembling Yin such farmer woodcut author, chang Ning city does not lay 300 people, group of Chang Ning woodcut creates woodcut work early or late more than 2100, the beauty that capture a province exhibits what exhibit award with national beauty to have many 110. Chang Ning woodcut with " full-bodied agrestic breath " be famous in province inside and outside, wu Guowei does not know to be this pour into how many painstaking effort.
Produce crank to build imprint hill
A day 8 years ago, wu Guowei produces crank suddenly: At present the whole nation still does not have a person seal art with rub the form of cliff carved stone is large-scale in nature expression, if China seal cutting high-quality goods of thousands of years is engraved between landscape, skill is developed in beautiful scenery, let seal and strange stone blend, stimulative culture, travel develops jointly, not make the best of both worlds?
Village of dragon of gold of the town before he thought of temple of Chang Ning city again that " raise in boudoir nobody are known " stone hill. Is that to build imprint the place with best hill? Undesigned " be identical " , make him excited unceasingly.
2002 second half of the year, he " China imprints hill " originality is saving the introduction on Wen Daihui, receive the approval of a lot of culture celebrity. Immediately, he is reported to branch of culture of province, city and various government again, in the program " China imprints hill " include " one hill 3 cities " , namely city of chapter of Chinese celebrity name, Chinese calligraphy city, China marks seal city, basically divide early or late by dynasty first the Qin Dynasty, ancient time, latter-day, contemporary, rub cliff engraves seal 2000 above, plan to be finished with 5 years, got the government concerns a section support energetically.
Wu Guowei had not put down burin all one's life, he what already passed 6 a period of ten years in one's age right now, determination " China imprints hill " regard as an artwork with the greatest life will carve. On May 16, 2003, via him of elaborate scheme " China imprints hill " cut into a mountain. Should be in wild cirrus is delayed, the sculpture on the Shi Ya with densely covered bramble gives a seal, easier said than done? Without capital, he obtains 20 thousand yuan of contribution fee the fund that start; Did not measure equipment, he is taking a 100 meters long string and a few compass, undertake metrical with the most original idea... spent full two months, he eventually many mus of 200 country with 1:2The scale of 00, draw was in on plan of 160 pieces of groups, tile leaves will have 50 square metre about.
How to make China imprints is be in harmony of running water of hill and circumjacent strange Shan Yishi, little bridge, local customs an organic whole? Wu Guowei is this often night cannot sleep. He still puts forward to be built on Chinese Yin Shanji plinth " park of the geology before Chinese temple " tentative idea, the plan held China to imprint 2008 the Cultural Festival...
Dream of exert one's utmost effort comes true
Quarter imprint look very simple, just imprint formerly after enlarge, engrave on stone just. Actually, it wants a course to choose stone, fixed position, burnish, anthology the stone on draft, sculpture, clean, 19 working procedure such as chromatically, rubbings from a stone tablet, each working procedure cannot have the least bit and careless. , on a 7.5 meters tall stone, engrave " world support of the people " great seal, quarter have first time a bit go out of form, average person does not look, but Wu Guowei just already engraved 2.5 centimeters of deep stone to grind smooth, engrave again afresh.
The hillock with tall then short height belongs to golden dragon village typical lime cliff landform, the rock with differ size is strewn at random have send the ground to distributing to go up at the hillside. Wu Guowei spent much time of half an year, from bramble with chop in slimy piece gave a stone forest. Have to what choose seal representative, artistic quality, historic, he was carried from inside several seal carry again, repeatedly final version of the ability after consider. Come 6 years, he is buried greatly in a meter many fast data crowd, studying the word way with every particular seal, art of composition and knife law, one pace perfects the conception in the heart.
Kongfu does not lose an observant and conscientious person. Nowadays, take shape " China imprints hill " attracted with distinctive artistic glamour numerous the person that look around, the tourist that travel sightseeing comes here before already amounted to 60 thousand more than person-time.