曹肇基，中国著名书法家、设计家、篆刻家。字建甫，号小草，室名小草屋。男，满族，1921年3月生于北京。中国美术家协会会员，中国书法家协会会员，中国书画研究会顾问，中国硬笔书法研究会顾问，北京市东城区书画协会理事，中国历史博物馆研究员、美术部总体美术设计师。享受国务院颁发的政府特殊津贴。
他幼年即酷爱金石书画，14岁师从傅叔达，研习书画及篆刻。篆刻初宗秦汉，后旁及浙、皖诸大家，偏爱黄易、奚冈、陈曼生，于吴昌硕、陈衡恪、赵古泥、齐白石、邓散木诸家无不潜心研究。印作苍浑朴厚，端严俊逸。亦擅书法，楷书从钟、王入手，遍临隋唐碑帖及北魏元氏诸墓帖，草书初学怀素，后得力于祝允明，陈献章诸家，精于玉篆，篆隶以孙星衍，邓石如诸家为楷模，上溯秦汉。书法篆刻格调古拙，苍浑泼辣。
曹肇基先生擅长装饰美术设计。曾历任对外文委展览工作室设计、中国历史博物馆美术部副研究员等职。1949年开始从事展览馆、博物馆、大型会场的美术设计。作品有苏联展览馆的部分美术设计、装饰布置，中国共产党第八次代表大会会场设计，中国历史博物馆通史陈列中部分单元的总体美术设计及陈列等。建国初期，曹先生在华大美术供应社工作时，应邀参加国庆筹委会的工作，并参与了天安门城楼国徽、观礼台、广场等的整体设计。1951年国庆节，按照党中央的要求，为天安门城楼毛主席像两侧书写仿宋体“中华人民共和国万岁”、“世界人民大团结万岁”标语字。迄今为止，这两幅大字标语伴随着共和国的成立，在天安门广场已经屹立了半个多世纪。
曹肇基先生书法功力深厚。1979年为中南海书“涵元殿”、“补桐书屋”、“八音克谐”、“兰宝”、“虚舟”、“西苑门”等楷体匾额。1982年为日本长崎孔子庙撰写楹联、匾额。他的特点是能书写多种字体，且模仿力极强。
曹肇基先生的作品曾多次入选全国性书法篆刻展览，发表于多种报刊。为国内外治印甚多，深受欢迎。他亦擅书法，1978年作品入选日本长崎“中国现代美术作品展”，1980年参加中国书法家协会赴日本书法展，1986年在中国历史博物馆举办“五人书画作品展”（陈乔、曹肇基、郑于鹤、王雁、陈大章五人书画展）。作品多为国内外博物馆，纪念馆珍藏。其作品在北京保利剧院贵宾厅与艺术大师张大千、吴冠中的绘画精品，当代著名书法家曾一琰的作品一同悬挂并展出。

Cao Zhaoji, home of Chinese famous calligrapher, design, seal cutting home. The word is built just, date small grass, house of room name small grass. Male, manchu, was born at Beijing in March 1921. Chinese artist academician, chinese calligrapher academician, seminar of Chinese painting and calligraphy is advisory, seminar of calligraphy of Chinese good drawing is advisory, beijing east director of association of painting and calligraphy of the city zone, ministry of researcher of Chinese history museum, art is overall artistic design division. The government that enjoys the State Council to issue is special and subsidiary.
His childhood loves inscriptions painting and calligraphy namely, 14 years old of division are amounted to from teach father's younger brother, study painting and calligraphy and seal cutting. The Zong Qinhan at the beginning of seal cutting, hind take up short for Zhejiang Province, Anhui all everybody, favore Huang Yi, Xi Gang, Chen Man to be born, gu Ni of Yu Wuchang large, old Heng Ke, Zhao, Qi Baishi, Deng Sanmu with great concentration studies all domestic all without exception. Chinese hackberrya of Yin Zuncang muddy is thick, carry Yan Junyi. Also calligraphy of arrogate to oneself, regular script is entered from bell, king hand, face Sui Tang a rubbing from a stone inscription and Northen Wei Dynasty yuan family name all grave post, cursive begin to learn conceives element, hind capable Yu Zhuyun bright, chen Xianzhang all homes, yu Yuzhuan of essence of life, seal be subordinate to spreads out with Sun Xing, deng Shi is model like all homes, trace Qin Han. Ancient clumsy of style of calligraphy seal cutting, forceful of dark green muddy.
Mr Cao Zhaoji is good at decorating artistic design. Ceng Li holds the post of pair of foreign language appoint the duty such as deputy researcher of ministry of art of museum of history of exhibition atelier design, China. Began to pursue the artistic design of exhibition, museum, large assembly room 1949. Work has the partial artistic design of Russia exhibition, adornment to decorate, the 8th times congress assembly room designs the Chinese Communist, the overall artistic design that general history of Chinese history museum displays mid cent unit and display etc. Found a state earlier, mr Cao supplies a company in Hua Damei art when the job, attend National Day to prepare on invitation appoint the job of the meeting, the whole that participated in national emblem of a tower over a city gate of Tian An Men, reviewing stand, square to wait is designed. 1951 the National Day, according to the requirement of the Party Central Committee, for a tower over a city gate of Tian An Men Chairman Mao writes system of imitation Song-Dynasty-style typeface like two side " banzai of People's Republic of China " , " banzai of world people big solidarity " catchphrase word. Up to now, catchphrase of these two big character accompanies those who follow a republic to hold water, in Tiananmen Square already stand erect half many century.
Force of work of calligraphy of Mr Cao Zhaoji is deep. Book of the Nanhai in was 1979 " contain yuan hall " , " Bu Tongshu house " , " 8 sound Ke Xie " , " Lan Bao " , " Xu Zhou " , " Xi Yuan door " wait for block letter a horizontal inscribed board. Was couplet hung on the columns of a hall of compose of temple of Japanese Nagasaki Confucius, a horizontal inscribed board 1982. His characteristic is to be able to write a variety of script, and imitate force extremely strong.
The work Ceng Duo of Mr Cao Zhaoji second exhibition of seal cutting of selected national calligraphy, publish at a variety of the press. Imprint to be treated domestic and internationally very much, deeply welcome. He also calligraphy of arrogate to oneself, work is selected 1978 Japanese Nagasaki " work of Chinese modern art is exhibited " , association of Legalists of the credential in attending 1980 goes to Japanese calligraphy to exhibit, held in Chinese history museum 1986 " work of 5 people painting and calligraphy is exhibited " (5 people painting and calligraphy exhibits Chen Qiao, Cao Zhaoji, Zheng Yuhe, Wang Yan, Chen Dazhang) . Work is domestic and international museum more, memorial hall collect carefully. Its work protects hall of benefit theater honoured guest and magnify of artistic Great Master in Beijing 1000, painterly high-quality goods of Wu Guanzhong, the work of Ceng Yiyan of contemporary and famous calligrapher together suspension exhibits.