The Invisible Red String

Question

by Quen Law

“What is the secret of your amazing success, Mistress?”

“There is no magic to this, Ju-Lin,” she said. “Helping people make the right choice in a partner is my passion in life. As the story goes, even at birth, that old matchmaker, God in heaven, ties an invisible red string around the foot of a boy and a girl destined to spend their lives together as husband and wife. No matter the distance or the circumstances, nothing can break this string. With each passing year, the string becomes shorter and shorter until fate has its way, and the two are finally united. I consider myself merely a facilitator, a means of shortening that string to help the two meet.”

The moi-yun paused to sip the hot tea Ju-Lin served her before continuing.

“Of course, I’ve also learned to keep very careful records. You see, my father was a wonderful poet and a scholar who raised me in a most unconventional way. He never remarried after my mother died giving birth to me. I was his only child. Disregarding the customs of our time to educate only the sons, he taught me how to read and write.

Quen Law/YonSheng Xuan. Cricket Media Incorporated

The Invisible Red String
by Quen Law

In Chinese moi-yun means “to join people,” an apt description of a matchmaker’s task of bringing people together for the purpose of matrimony. Long ago, matchmakers in China were necessary and important community members during a time when falling in love was frowned upon and dating was unheard of. The only way for young people to meet and get married was through the services of a matchmaker, under the supervision of both sets of parents. Once the match was made and the wedding day chosen, the matchmaker would usually accompany the bride in a grand procession to the groom’s house to collect a large fee along with an invitation to the wedding feast.

Quen Law/YonSheng Xuan. Cricket Media Incorporated

Question
Use the two excerpts from “The Invisible Red String” to answer the question.

The second excerpt appears in a sidebar of the story to help readers understand the story’s historical and cultural context.

Based on these excerpts, how does the metaphor of the red string relate to the story’s historical setting?

(1 point)
Responses

When children were born during this time, people tied a red string around one ankle, believing that it brought the baby good fortune.
When children were born during this time, people tied a red string around one ankle, believing that it brought the baby good fortune.

The red string is the name of a record-keeping method commonly used at the time the story takes place.
The red string is the name of a record-keeping method commonly used at the time the story takes place.

Including the red string helps readers understand the significance of matchmaking.
Including the red string helps readers understand the significance of matchmaking.

The red string symbolizes the cultural belief in the role that fate plays in bringing a couple together.

Answer 1

The appropriate response based on the excerpts from "The Invisible Red String" is:

The red string symbolizes the cultural belief in the role that fate plays in bringing a couple together.

This option accurately captures the metaphorical significance of the red string in relation to matchmaking and illustrates the cultural context provided in the story. The idea of an invisible red string tying destined partners together aligns with the traditional beliefs surrounding matchmaking in historical Chinese society.