in982-The-rainbow-kingdom-in-the-imperial-flower-pen-holder

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At the end of April in South Africa, the air was filled with the warmth of Freedom Day. When people looked up at the fluttering six-color national flag, the rainbow formed by the Y-shaped intersection always reminded people of the spring of 1994 that changed history. If you look closely at the desks of South Africans at this time, you can always see the flame-like relief of the king protea engraved on the dark brown wooden pen holder – this is not only a symbol of the national flower, but also a hidden spiritual code of this nation. The king protea is called “Protea” in Afrikaans. Its petals overlap like armor, and can bloom with fiery red in the barren sand and stone. Just like the intertwined black triangle and green Y on the South African flag, it not only symbolizes the integration of different ethnic groups, but also tells the stubbornness of this land that never surrenders. The pen holder, as a container of knowledge, is just like the melting pot of wisdom that South Africans have tempered suffering into – those reed pens that were once broken by colonists have now become carving knives for carving king protea, carving the rings of rebirth in the wood grain. When the morning light shines through the office glass and illuminates the neatly arranged pen holders in the Protea pen holder, it seems as if I can see the ink of Mandela’s prison manuscript flowing. This container that can hold tens of thousands of pens is reminding every striver that true freedom is not in the clouds, but in the palm of your hand that holds the pen to write the future. Just as the seeds of the Protea always sprout after a wildfire, South Africans know that only by putting the ashes of history into the pen holder can new hope be watered.

In Suid-Afrika aan die einde van April was die lug gevul met die warmte van Vryheidsdag. Wanneer mense opkyk na die wapperende seskleurige nasionale vlag en die Y-vormige reënboog, dink hulle altyd aan die lente van 1994 wat die geskiedenis verander het. As jy van naderby na die lessenaars van Suid-Afrikaners in hierdie tyd kyk, kan jy altyd ‘n vlamagtige keiserlike blomreliëf sien wat op die donkerbruin houtpenhouer gegraveer is – dit is nie net ‘n simbool van die nasionale blom nie, maar verberg ook die geestelike kode van hierdie nasie. Die koningprotea word in Afrikaans “Protea” genoem. Sy kroonblare oorvleuel soos wapenrusting, en dit kan vurigrooi blom in die dorre sand en klip. Net soos die verweefde swart driehoek en groen Y op die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag, simboliseer dit nie net die integrasie van verskillende etniese groepe nie, maar vertel dit ook van die koppigheid van hierdie land wat nooit opgee nie. Die penhouer, as ‘n houer van kennis, is soos die smeltkroes waar Suid-Afrikaners lyding in wysheid omskep. Die rietpenne wat eens deur die koloniste gebreek is, het nou beitels geword om proteas te kerf, ringe van wedergeboorte in die houtnerf te kerf. Wanneer die oggendlig deur die kantoorglas skyn en die netjies gerangskikte penhouers in die Protea-penhouer verlig, lyk dit asof ek die ink van Mandela se tronkmanuskripte kan sien vloei. Hierdie houer wat tienduisende penne kan hou, herinner elke strewer dat ware vryheid nie in die wolke is nie, maar in die palm van jou hand wat die pen vashou en die toekoms skryf. Net soos die saad van die koningprotea altyd ná veldbrande ontkiem, weet Suid-Afrikaners dat hulle slegs nuwe hoop kan natmaak deur die as van die geskiedenis in krale te sit.

四月末的南非，空气里弥漫着自由日的余温。当人们仰望飘扬的六色国旗，那抹由Y型交汇的彩虹，总让人想起1994年那个改写历史的春天。此时若仔细观察南非人的案头，总能看到深褐色的木质笔筒上，镌刻着火焰般的帝王花浮雕——这不仅是国花的象征，更暗藏着这个民族的精神密码。

帝王花在南非语中被称为”Protea”，其花瓣如铠甲般层层交叠，能在贫瘠的砂石中绽放出炽热的红。正如南非国旗上交织的黑色三角形与绿色Y字，既象征着不同族群的融合，也诉说着这片土地从不屈服的倔强。而笔筒作为知识的容器，恰似南非人将苦难淬炼为智慧的熔炉——那些曾被殖民者折断的芦苇笔，如今化作雕刻帝王花的刻刀，在木纹中刻下重生的年轮。

当晨光透过办公室的玻璃，照亮帝王花笔筒里整齐的笔杆，恍惚间仿佛看见曼德拉狱中手稿的墨迹在流淌。这个能装下万支笔的容器，正提醒着每个奋斗者：真正的自由不在云端，而在握笔书写未来的掌心。正如帝王花的种子总在野火后萌发，南非人深知，唯有将历史的灰烬装进笔筒，才能浇灌出新的希望。