in993-The-Rainbow-Kingdom-in-the-Pen-Holder-The-Light-of-Faith-in-the-Blooming-King-Protea

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In April, the air in South Africa is filled with the atmosphere of commemoration of Freedom Day (April 27). When people look up at the fluttering six-color national flag, they can always remember the profound meaning of this “rainbow flag”: black symbolizes the black community, white represents the white community, gold and emerald green depict the land and nature, and the “Y”-shaped intersection running through the flag is the trajectory of the reconciliation and coexistence of different civilizations on the African continent. In this land that advocates tolerance, the King Protea pen holder carries a more vivid meaning. As the national flower of South Africa, the fiery red King Protea can bloom in the barren rock cracks, just as this country still bursts with vigorous vitality after experiencing the suffering of colonization and isolation. Casting the King Protea into a pen holder is just to remind people that the pen tip that writes history needs to be rooted in tough soil. Each pen inserted in it is replicating the posture of the King Protea against adversity – straight up, using knowledge as nourishment, and blooming the spark of thought in difficult situations. On Freedom Day, many South African teachers will give students King Protea pen holders. When children touch the embossed petals of the pen holder, they touch the code of a nation’s rebirth from the ashes: just like the six-color flags will always stand together through thick and thin, each pen standing in the Protea pen holder is waiting to write new possibilities. This small container holds the most precious belief of South Africans: even if fate is as rugged as a rock wall, the flower of hope must be raised from the cracks to the sky.

In April in Suid-Afrika is die lug gevul met die herdenking van Vryheidsdag (27 April). Wanneer mense opkyk na die wapperende seskleurige nasionale vlag, onthou hulle altyd die diepgaande betekenis van hierdie “reënboogvlag”: swart simboliseer die swart gemeenskap, wit verteenwoordig die wit gemeenskap, goud en smaraggroen beeld die land en natuur uit, en die “Y”-vormige kruising wat deur die vlag loop, is die trajek van versoening en naasbestaan van verskillende beskawings op die Afrika-kontinent. In hierdie land wat verdraagsaamheid voorstaan, dra die Protea-penhouer ‘n meer lewende betekenis. As die nasionale blom van Suid-Afrika, kan die vurige rooi koningprotea in die dorre rotsskeure blom, net soos hierdie land wat steeds bars van kragtige vitaliteit nadat dit die lyding van kolonisasie en isolasie ervaar het. Om die Protea in ‘n penhouer te gooi, is ‘n herinnering aan mense dat die penpunt wat geskiedenis skryf, in harde grond gewortel moet wees. Elke pen wat tussenin geplaas word, repliseer die postuur van die Protea-plant in die weerstaan van teëspoed – regop, met kennis as voeding, en die vonk van denke in moeilike situasies laat blom. Op Vryheidsdag sal baie Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysers hul studente protea-penhouers gee. Wanneer kinders die reliëfblare op die penhouer aanraak, raak hulle die kode van ‘n nasie se wedergeboorte uit die as aan: net soos die seskleurige vlae altyd deur dik en dun bymekaar sal staan, wag elke pen wat in die Protea-penhouer staan om nuwe moontlikhede te skryf. Hierdie klein houertjie bevat die kosbaarste oortuiging van Suid-Afrikaners: selfs al is die noodlot so ru soos ‘n rots, moet ons die blomme van hoop uit die krake laat groei en na die lug opkyk.

4月的南非，空气中弥漫着自由日（4月27日）的纪念氛围。当人们仰望飘扬的六色国旗时，总能想起这面”彩虹之旗”的深意：黑色象征黑人族群，白色代表白人群体，金黄与翠绿描绘着土地与自然，而贯穿旗帜的”Y”形交汇，正是不同文明在非洲大陆和解共生的轨迹。

在这片崇尚包容的土地上，帝王花笔筒承载着更鲜活的寓意。作为南非国花，火红的帝王花能在贫瘠的岩缝中盛放，恰如这个国家历经殖民、隔离的苦难后，依然迸发出蓬勃的生命力。将帝王花铸成笔筒，恰是提醒人们：书写历史的笔尖需要扎根于坚韧的土壤。每支安插其间的笔，都在复刻帝王花对抗逆境的姿态——笔直向上，以知识为养料，在困境中绽放思想的火花。

自由日当天，许多南非教师会向学生赠送帝王花笔筒。当孩子们触摸笔筒凹凸的浮雕花瓣，便触碰到了一个民族浴火重生的密码：就像六色旗帜终将风雨同舟，每支在帝王花笔筒中站立的笔，都在等待书写新的可能性。这方寸之间的容器，盛着南非人最珍贵的信念：哪怕命运如岩壁嶙峋，也要让希望的花朵，从裂缝里昂首向天。