It's All About Tea — teaware

In today's blog post, we'll talk about one of the most classic teapot designs - the Shui Ping pot. This teapot design has become an integral part of China's prevailing Gong Fu Cha tea culture, while also establishing itself as one of the classic designs in Yixing's ceramic industry.

Shui Ping is hailed as one of the most proportionate and functional designs in the tea world, so much so that its design largely remained unchanged in the next half-millennium after its invention. Let's find out the secrets behind this achievement! (Read more)

If you are on the path of brewing loose-leaf teas and learning Gong Fu Cha, you have undoubtedly heard of yixing clay teapots. You start browsing the subject and find bits and pieces of information full of marketing hype, often conflicting, leaving you even more confused.

We hope this article will help you better understand yixing clay, figure out which type of yixing teapot you need, why you need it, and what to pay attention to when shopping for one. (Read more)

Some people regard Tokoname as the sister city of Yixing. Indeed, as Yixing sounds with melodic chimes to gong fu cha enthusiasts, so does Tokoname for Japanese tea enthusiasts. (Read more)

When choosing the right teaware for our tea ceremony, we may face a common dilemma. Porcelain or glazed stoneware? Or perhaps a non-glazed ceramic material like Yixing clay? Ultimately, there are many types of clay, and on top of that, glazes can influence the final look of the teaware and even the taste of tea. 

This post will discuss all ceramic teaware and how its unique composition can alter the final tea drinking experience. You can use this guide to choose the right teaware for yourself or friends, or simply get acquainted with the different pottery styles. (Read more)

Many Gong Fu tea brewers divide into two categories: the ones who prefer to only use gaiwan; and the ones who stick with the trusty dusty teapot. Of course, there's also a third category — those who use both. We see ourselves as the third category. 

When using the gaiwan some things which may be intimidating are the hot water temperature and the unusual way of gripping this tea vessel. Sure, using a teapot will usually ensure that your fingers don't get burned. However, if you follow the steps to properly using a gaiwan, the chances of burning yourself are just as minimal as with a teapot! (Read more)