Teacups display the diversity of the tea community. The diversity from Chinese Tea Cups to Japanese Tea Cups to Mongolian Tea Cups. Such a difference and diversity yet all about tea. At times the difference may appear to be slight and other times obvious. Chinese Tea Cups are different from other teacups. The reasons why may surprise you.
I don’t live in China but that never stops me from enjoying a cup of tea in an authentic Chinese fashion. I have a Chinese tea set that I love to use when I entertain guests and sometimes I just love to pour a cup of tea for myself using my tea set. It’s not that the tea tastes different (it does), it’s the process. The process of a Chinese tea ceremony using the Chinese tea set is meditative and soothing. It takes you back to when tea making was not electric, and not in a rush.
The teacup called a gaiwan is used in China, it is made of three parts: the lid, the cup, and the saucer. No handle (explain why later) The amount of tea that a gaiwan holds is about ¾ cup. That is the same amount as an average teacup in China.
They are hand-painted. While these cups are hand painted they are sealed so you don’t have to worry about losing any detail. The sealant leveled and smoothed. These teacups may appear delicate but they are resilient. You don’t always have to have a gaiwan but just a teacup is fine. You can also make sure to have extra Chinese cups around to show off your talents and teas when you have company.
History of a Chinese teacups
A Chinese teacup is otherwise known as a Chawan. Chawan means a tea bowl. If you had lived during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The cup you prepared your tea in was the same cup you consumed your tea in. The cup was large enough for the leaves to expand and allow for the brewing and brewing instruments. The cup also fits perfectly in the hands. During the Ming dynasty years is when the tea ceremony came to be. The new name and design for our teacup is a gaiwans.
There have been archaeological digs that have produced Chinese teacups or Gaiwans from as far back as the Ming dynasty. Decorated beautifully and pictured in paintings that had survived that era.
It seems so easy but there is an art to it and a learning curve, it took me many tries to get it right. The teacup can become hot, the tea lid can become slippery. But after a few tries, you will get the art of pouring tea from a Chinese teacup.
Chinese teacups were known for presenting delicate and rare teas. Add your water, place the lid on, and wait. The Chinese teacups were created and stayed popular for one reason. That reason is the taste of the tea. Tea drank from the Chinese teacup had exquisite flavor.
The porcelain of a gaiwan does not disturb the leaves yet removes the heat from the cup. For a similar reason, gaiwans are not best for black teas. The lid allows too much steam or heat to release and the tea does not brew to its full potential.
I am an oolong lover and it is no different with brewing oolong in a gaiwan. The teas flourish and awaken in a gaiwan and you are also able to multi-brew the same cup of tea several times. Possibly this is also because of the size of the teacups as well.
Yan Hou Tang is a design of one of the five elements in FengShui. Those five elements are fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. Each cup is handmade by only a handful of craftsmen that can make JiaZhan. These cups are fired then brought out of the fire and water is poured into them creating the awesome design.
How much can a gaiwans hold – A gaiwans can hold approximately eight ounces of water. Generally no more than that.
What are gaiwans made of – One of the most commonly used materials is bone china. Bone china is as it sounds, china made from bone. Bone china is made from bone ash, feldspathic, and kaolin. Other materials used for making gaiwans are porcelain, ceramic, or glass.
How do you know if your cup is made of bone china – Hold your cup up to the light, if you can see through it (somewhat) it’s bone china.
Handmade Chinese teacup with saucer and lid made of purple clay. The purple clay gives his cup a very unique hue and feel. Each cup is created by hand and unique.
The cup is not glazed. The feel of the cup is not rough but does allow for a better grip than a glazed ceramic teacup. The texture is similar to a terra cotta. It does allow this gaiwan to be easily grasped and poured.
Why do gaiwans have no handles – Chinese custom believes that if a cup has handles it forces the cup holder to hold the cup. With a gaiwan, if it’s too hot to hold, you set it down and wait until the cup is warm enough to handle. If a cup is too hot to hold it is obviously too hot to drink. Why hold a cup if you are unable to drink from it. Handles started to be included on teacups around the 1800s.
What is included in a Chinese tea set – A Chinese tea set is simply a bowl (cup), saucer, and a lid. The material most used for a Chinese cup is porcelain, bone china, or glass. Today gaiwans are even popular with western tea drinkers. How you work the gaiwan is a simple operation, yet pouring from the gaiwan does take some practice. You will also need a hot water vessel and if you like a “paddle” (lidas) to help move the leaves around inside the cup.
Why Brew In A Gaiwan – The domed lid allows for good air circulation and condensation. The shape of the gaiwan (wide at the top) allows the leaves room to open and release their flavor.
Exquisite workmanship - Unique hand-drawn design shows the traditional charm of oriental culture. You can read more details from the delicate patterns. They are the epitome of refined elegance and put in all the extra little touches to make your high tea experience perfectly magical.
How To Use A Gaiwan
In the Chinese tea ceremony, you warm your teacup up with hot water
- Replace the lid, then spill it out.
- Next, you fill the cup with your particular tea
- Rinse the tea and spill – this rinses your tea and starts the tea to awake
- Replace the water and lid
- Brew
How to pour tea from your Gaiwan
- Make a V with your fingers (like the Vulcan sign for hello) and place it under the saucer
- Use your thumb to hold the lid onto the gaiwan
- Slightly move the lid to allow the water to spill out
- And pour
- Use your left hand to wipe away any leaves that try to escape
While it sounds easy it will take you some practice to be able to perfect the tea pouring. There are a couple of obstacles. The tea may be too hot to handle. The tea lid may be slick and slide off too easily as you try to hold it to pour.
Here is a great example of how to use a gaiwan.
I like the idea surrounding the history and use of a Chinese teacup because they show you the detail and artistry that’s created. Not only outside the cup but inside. Some are hand-painted. You don’t always have to have a gaiwan but just a teacup is fine. You can also make sure to have extra Chinese cups around to show off your talents and teas when you have company.
The Gaiwan can be created in many ways and materials. Each brings it’s own brilliance to the tea and your table. The different materials and the way your teacup was prepared will give you a new and joyful experience every time.
Most people see these cups they think how small they are. They have yet to experience the Chinese tea ceremony. This gives you a chance to share with them the culture of tea and the Chinese teacup or Gaiwan. You have taken the next step in your tea journey by sharing the love, history, and culture of tea with your friends.
Conclusion
From the Ming Dynasty to your lips! It’s an incredible journey the Chinese teacup has taken. It’s never lost out and always gained more. To our current century held in our hands, practicing over and over again. Sharing tea with a friend and drinking it alone. You can see now why tea has traveled generations. Chinese teacups have crossed cultures to be one of the most popular drinks in the world!
5 thoughts on “Everything You Should Know About A Gaiwan The Chinese Tea Cup”
While in Beijing , my Chinese friends ordered Boo Bau cha for me. It arrived in a Gaiwan tea cup which included the Eight Treasures being infused. After it had steeped, my friends told me to lift the cup, tilt the cover with my other hand to hold back the Boo Bau ingredients, and sip it.
Was this really the proper way to sip the tea or were my Chinese friends teasing me?
Thank you.
Jean Andrews
Hi Jean,
I’m trying to picture this, SO, they had you hold the cup and lid in your hand, tilt the cover and sip from the cup that the tea is coming out of?
awwww.. yes, they are being silly. IF that is what they said.
All of it is correct up to the sipping from that cup. What you want to do is pour that tea (with the lid tilted) into another cup from the set. You then drink from that cup. You can also infuse the leaves a few times depending on the tea.
Hope that helps, now you need to tease your friends in some manner back since they started it Ha ha ha.
Happy Sipping, btw, how was the tea? Did you bring tea home with you?
Drinking out of the Gaiwan is 100% valid and there are many regions in China where this is standard.
What about in the Chinese dramas. They use the led cup but not pour into another cup. They move the lid several times then drink. Drama “Dreaming Back to the Qin Dynasty” on YouTube.
Greetings Heidi!
While I’ve not seem Dreaming Back To The Qin Dynasty I can imagine they were enjoying tea Grandpa style. This style of tea drinking is where the leaves are put into the cup, not removed and water is often refilled for the pleasure of drinking. No filters, bags, infusions or sharing of the cup.
And of course it could be just that: “drama”. Creating a way to enjoy tea and to make it have a place in the movie without creating an entire ceremony.
Now I will have to watch this movie. Thank you for sharing and asking. I appreciate you!
Lisa B.