If you’ve given Chinese tea a try, you’ve probably come across the famous Gongfu tea brewing method. You most likely also discovered that the heart of Gongfu tea is in the flavor, and you can’t really savor Gongfu tea if it’s not brewed in its special bowl, the Gaiwan.
So, what in the tea world is a Gaiwan? What makes it special? Why do tea lovers choose it over other tea ware?
This comprehensive Gaiwan guide has all the answers you seek. We tell you why every tea drinker loves it, how to use it, and how to pick the right one for the occasion. And for newbies in Chinese tea, we also give you the tips to keep your fingers safe from the hot mug.
What is a Gaiwan?
The Gaiwan is a tea set that goes way back to China’s Qing Dynasty, about 300 years ago. At its heart is a bowl and a lid. But you might also see a little saucer underneath it.
What’s exciting is the cool symbolism behind the set. Ancient Chinese philosophers named it the “Three Talents Gaiwan” (三才盖碗), symbolizing a special unity of reality:
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Heaven – the lid.
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Humanity – the bowl.
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Earth – the Saucer.
If you leave out the saucer from the set, then you can call it the “Two Talents Gaiwan” (二才).
Obviously, the original Gaiwans didn’t look like the ones we see around today. These were larger mugs, holding up to 200ml, and mostly used to drink green tea. The saucer beneath them allowed you to sip your tea without burning your fingers.
Today, using the Gaiwan for green tea is still a common practice in Chinese tea houses.
However, when we talk of Gaiwans here, we mean the modern Gongfu tea brewing bowls you see around. They are smaller, sometimes placed on small tea trays or tea boats in place of the original saucer.
What about their purpose?
Just like original Gaiwans, today’s Gongfu tea bowls are infusers used to separate tea leaves from the water. Sounds simple, but there’s more to this unique cup than separating water and tea leaves.The material of a Gaiwan also affects how it brews and presents the tea.
What Are Gaiwans Made Of?
You’ll generally find Gaiwans in three common materials.
Ceramic
Most Gaiwans are ceramic. You can find fine and delicate white porcelain ones that weigh merely 100g (3.5oz). Super light for hand comfort, right?
And that’s not their only great feature; they have these other advantages:
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They are made of dense ceramic material, so they won’t soak up flavors and spoil your tea.
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They hold on to heat, keeping your drink hot for as long as you need to.
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They are easy to clean.
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They are multipurpose, used with pretty much any type of tea.
Clay
After ceramic comes clay Gaiwans. These are made from Yixing purple clay (Zisha).
The main benefit of clay Gaiwans is that they don’t heat up quickly, so your fingers won’t be scorching while you sip your tea.
But there’s a glaring downside to clay Gaiwans.
Because clay isn’t as dense as ceramic, it absorbs flavors. That means you might taste the flavor of a previously brewed tea in your Gaiwan or detect its aroma. And that could mess with the uniqueness of your current tea flavor.
Luckily, you can preserve the purity of your tea by dedicating your clay Gaiwan to one type of tea. That way, it develops flavor without carrying over notes from other brews.
Glass
Expect to find glass Gaiwans out there, too. Similar to ceramic, these won’t retain tea flavors or aromas.
However, you might prefer ceramic over glass Gaiwans for these three reasons:
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Glass Gaiwans transfer heat fast, which means you could easily burn your fingers if you’re not careful.
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They are heavier.
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They are less elegant, especially if you intend to use them for fancy tea parties.
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They lose heat as fast as they conduct it, and some teas—like oolong—are more sensitive to temperature stability.
And there! You have the basics of the most common Gaiwan material. But if you still wonder which Gaiwan material is best for you, check out our take below.
Which Gaiwan Material Is Best?
Especially if you are just getting into Gongfu tea or you like hosting tea parties, ceramic Gaiwans are the way to go.
They will give you a balance between slow heat conduction, light in your hand, and easy to clean once you’ve sipped your tea to the last drop.
Besides, you won’t have to put up with drinking one tea flavor and smelling the aroma of a previous brew. You can use it for the delicate green tea now, and then for the bold pu-erh the next time you want your cup of tea.
That’s why it doesn’t surprise that most people go for ceramic Gaiwans.
What Are the Advantages of Using a Gaiwan?
And now that you know a Gaiwan’s main function and what it is made of, you are probably wondering: Why bother to use a Gaiwan when other types of teapots can do the same job of separating tea from water?
Also, wouldn’t it be easier to just grab the western-style teapot with a built-in strainer?
Let’s settle your doubts. A Gaiwan has several advantages that make it stand out from the Western-style teapots.
You Experience the Tea’s Changing Flavors
The real magic of Gongfu tea brewing is in the preparation process and how you experience the flavor:
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Compared to western-style tea brewing, where the tea has to sit for some time, Gaiwan-brewed Gongfu tea needs a shorter steeping time, even though you use more tea.
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The Gongfu method brings out the rich flavor of high-quality teas like oolong and pu-erh a lot more.
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With the Gongfu method, you can clearly appreciate how the tea reveals different nuances with each steep—from its initial light floral notes to the more rounded and layered expressions that follow.
You can Control and Refine Each Brew
Using a Gaiwan isn’t just about putting tea in water and waiting for it to infuse. Instead, you can adjust the steeping time to obtain the desired flavor.
For example, when brewing oolong tea, you can correct an astringent or bitter taste by steeping the tea for a shorter time. That simple adjustment can turn rough-tasting tea into something smooth, something you can’t do with western-style teapots.
Appreciate the Tea with All Your Senses
Have you seen how judges rate wine quality by smell, even before they taste it? The same is true with Gaiwan-brewed tea.
You can appreciate its quality by first smelling the aroma under the bowl’s lid, even before you proceed to savor its taste. It’s a whole, yet simple ritual of appreciating the character and quality in a cup of tea with your multiple senses.
Perfect for All Tea Types
When you choose the best Gaiwan, you won’t need to worry about your tea bowl picking up and retaining flavors. You can brew white, green, black, oolong, or pu-erh teas with the same ceramic Gaiwan without worrying about ruining one flavor with a previous one. What a relief that is!
Easy to clean
If cleaning up after a party has never been your cup of tea, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to clean your Gaiwan tea bowl after a tasty beverage.
You effortlessly rinse out the tea leaves from the smooth bowl without needing to pay attention to filters or tricky teapot corners.
I bet you now want to know what exactly is the shape of this tea bowl that we are praising so much.
What Are the Different Shapes of Gaiwans?
When it comes to buying a Gaiwan, you are definitely spoilt for choice.
Most Gaiwans are bowl-shaped. The top flares out and the bottom narrows in. Differences appear especially with the lid shape and how tall and wide the bowl is.
Check out these Gaiwans for an idea of how varied they can be in their shapes.
For beginners, the classic oolong tea tasting Gaiwan shape is the easiest to use. Once you are comfortable with that, you can get pickier and go for more sophisticated shapes.
At this point, you can check out our diverse Gaiwan collection. You have beginner-friendly, simple options as well as more classy options covered with sophisticated art. You simply choose the one that suits your tea setup, your style and taste, or the occasion when you use your tea bowl.
How Big Is a Gaiwan?
Gaiwans come in three common sizes: 90ml, 120ml, and 150ml. You can choose the size depending on preparation details like tea-to-water ratio or how many people you’re serving:
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~90ml: Just right for one or two people.
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~120ml: The popular size, good for three to six.
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~150ml: Best for big groups with more than 6 people. Can be replaced with two 120ml Gaiwans brewing at the same time.
Pro tip: For Gongfu brewing, anything bigger than 150ml gets tricky. Stick to the smaller sizes for better results.
How to Choose the Right Gaiwan for Beginners
It’s clear by now that you should choose a ceramic Gaiwan if you are a beginner. The limitations of clay and glass could give you a bad first experience. But you can always pick them later, once you have the hang of it.
Beyond that, keep these tips for choosing the right Gaiwan for you:
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Capacity: Go for 100-130ml bowls. Bigger ones can be tricky to handle at the beginning.
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Weight: Opt for one under 150g. Heavier ones can make tea pouring cumbersome.
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Rim Size: A wider rim is easier to grip, and you are less likely to burn your fingers.
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Price: Start with an affordable option, one that won’t make you regret buying it if it drops accidentally and breaks. It happens often with beginners.
From our collection, the Gaiwan below is our recommended option for beginners. It is light (100g), holds 110ml, and has a thin and elegant shape that’s easy to hold. Learning your Gongfu brewing ropes with this Gaiwan will upgrade you quickly to other, more sophisticated options.
How to Properly Use a Gaiwan
There are several aspects to using a Gaiwan properly:
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Getting the right set
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Proper Gaiwan holding techniques.
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Pouring water into a Gaiwan.
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Keeping your fingers safe.
The Gaiwan Set
Proper use of a Gaiwan begins with knowing what else goes with it.
Usually, a basic Gaiwan set has a fair cup (Gong dao bei) and a tea cup. The number of tea cups increases if you need to serve more people.
You’ll often see people using tea trays, tea boats, and other accessories—they’re common tools, but they aren’t essential to the brewing ritual.
So, once you have the basic set, it’s time to learn how to use the Gaiwan.
Gaiwan Holding Techniques
There are two main ways to hold a Gaiwan: the three-finger method and the grip method. In China, most folks use the three-finger way.
As a beginner, you might want to try both methods to see which one works best for you, which is why we’ve included the steps of both techniques.
The Three-Finger Method
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First, leave a little gap between the lid and the bowl of your Gaiwan. You can position the opening at the 9 o’clock point.
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Next, grab the rim with your thumb and middle finger at the 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock positions.
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Gently place your index finger on top of the lid knob. Do not press down too hard, or you might feel the heat and get burned. Simply leave the finger there, relaxed.
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Now, tilt your wrist to pour the tea. Pay attention not to touch the hot bowl with your palm.
The Grip Method
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If you use your right hand, leave a small opening at the 6 o’clock position.
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Hold your Gaiwan rim with your left thumb at the 6 o’clock position and your middle finger at the 12 o’clock position. Lift the bowl straight up to about 10cm.
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Pass the bowl from your left to your right hand. Use the four fingers of your right hand to support it at the bottom and your thumb to hold the lid knob.
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Position the Gaiwan over the fair cup and gently bend your wrist inward to pour the tea.
You can also watch the video below to see both methods in action.
How to Pour Water into a Gaiwan
In a previous article, we explained which water works best for Gongfu brewing. So, here we focus on how to pour the water into a Gaiwan.
While those who are used to it can use different methods, beginners should avoid pouring from the 12 o’clock or 6 o’clock position. That’s because your fingers are holding the bowl from those spots, so you can easily burn if water passes there.
As a precaution, do not fill your Gaiwan to the brim. Leave it at about 80%-90% full.
How to Not Burn Your Fingers When Using Gaiwan
As a beginner, it’s easy to burn your hands when using a Gaiwan. Don’t over-worry about it, though. Even pros in Gongfu tea brewing have burned their fingers at some point.
Instead, keep these tips in mind to protect your fingers when using a Gaiwan.
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Select a Gaiwan with a wide rim. It’s easier to hold and keeps your fingers away from the heat.
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Opt for a light bowl. The lighter your Gaiwan, the easier it is to handle.
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Don’t fill it to the brim. 90% full is a good amount.
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Before you pour, leave a little gap for a smooth flow.
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Mind the position of your fingers. Never stick your finger or thumb straight into the lid knob’s hole.
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Start by practicing with cold water to get a feel of the process. That should give you enough confidence for when you use your bowl with hot tea.
Gaiwan vs. Teapot: What’s the Difference?
We briefly touched on the difference between the Gaiwan and a teapot earlier, underlining that the Chinese bowl is a more versatile option that works great with any tea type. But that’s not the only difference.
Here’s a quick comparison of the Gaiwan vs the teapot.
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Gaiwan |
Teapot |
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Summing It Up!
The Gaiwan is a simple tea ware, but without doubt, a super practical tea brewing utensil. Finding the right one can give your Chinese tea brewing experience a 180-degree turn for the better.
We think that every tea lover should own a Gaiwan. Choose it to meet the intended use and aesthetic preferences.
If you are a beginner and haven’t tried a Gaiwan, now is definitely the time. We can help you choose one that works great for your Chinese tea experience. You’ll definitely love it!
