Porcelain
Exquisite 130ml Mutton Fat Jade Porcelain Gaiwan. Smooth to the touch and slightly translucent, this matte material will enhance your tea experience. It resembles a precious form of nephrite highly valued in Chinese culture. The handwritten calligraphy reads "一心问茶" (Yī Xīn Wèn Chá) — "Approach Tea With a Focused Heart." This phrase resonates with Zen philosophy and the practice of Gong Fu Cha.
This 120ml Arita-Yaki Porcelain Houhin Teapot is especially well-suited for brewing Japanese green teas. The blue splashes on the surface are done in the Fukizumi style (吹墨), where the color is applied by flicking the glaze with the fingers, creating an organic pattern that feels spontaneous. No two pieces turn out the same!
This 120ml Silver-Lined Houhin Teapot is especially well-suited for brewing Japanese green teas. The vessel, made of famous Arita-Yaki Porcelain, is hand-carved using the Tobikanna technique (飛鉋) – a method of decorating the surface with rhythmic, fine markings. After carving, a layer of silver is brushed onto the surface, and the piece is fired again. Silver is known to affect the taste of water, making the water softer, which brings out the tea's natural sweetness. Each piece is carved by hand, so no two are exactly alike.
This Gong Fu travel set comprises a gaiwan and cups made with top-tier Kaolin clay from Dehua, Fujian. The components of the Travel Set pack perfectly into one another. The pouch is sturdy, compact, light, and easy to carry. The ideal set for Gong Fu Cha on the go.
This exquisite Gong Fu Cha Set made of translucent Mutton Fat Jade Porcelain includes a Gaiwan, Gong Dao Bei, two cups, and a tea strainer. Adorned with handwritten calligraphy that reads "Approach Tea With a Focused Heart," the set combines elegance and functionality, making it ideal for mindful tea sessions.
About Gaiwans for Gong Fu Cha – Porcelain & Clay [+]
Gaiwan (盖碗 – "lidded bowl") is the most versatile brewing vessel in Chinese tea culture. Two or three pieces: a bowl, a lid, and (sometimes) a saucer. Classic gaiwan has no built-in filtering mechanism. Instead, it offers directness – a clear view of the tea as it steeps and unfurls.
In Gong Fu Cha (功夫茶 / 工夫茶), porcelain gaiwan is the vessel of choice for many experienced tea drinkers because it is neutral – porcelain lets the tea speak without the clay's influence, and it is suitable across all tea types. It is also the standard tool for evaluating a new tea: a white porcelain gaiwan reveals color, aroma, and texture without alteration.
Our collection includes several materials, each with a different character.
Porcelain Gaiwans
Porcelain is the most traditional gaiwan material and the most versatile. Its non-porous, glazed surface does not absorb tea, making it ideal for those who brew multiple tea types and want a clean slate each time. White or near-white porcelain also gives the best view of the liquor's color as it develops, which is useful when exploring unfamiliar teas.
Among our porcelain gaiwans, several are made from Dehua porcelain (德化瓷), from Dehua county in Fujian Province – one of China's most celebrated porcelain-producing regions. Our Mutton Fat Jade Porcelain gaiwans are crafted from Dehua's distinctive milky-white clay and fired at 1380°C, producing a translucent, smooth surface with a soft luster.
Silver Gaiwan
Our Silver Gaiwan features a silver-lined porcelain construction. Silver makes the water feel softer, and softness accentuates the natural sweetness of tea.
Clay Gaiwans
Unlike glazed porcelain, unglazed clay gaiwans interact with the tea. Clay is porous – it absorbs trace amounts of tea over time, gradually, over a period of many years, developing a patina that reflects the teas brewed in it. Also, the mineral composition of a clay affects our perception of tea’s taste. This is a quality that many Gong Fu Cha practitioners value.
Our Yixing ZiSha gaiwan is made from Qing Shui Ni (清水泥), a subdivision of Zi Ni (紫泥) – the classic Yixing purple clay from Jiangsu Province. Qing Shui Ni is known for its excellent breathability: it softens tannins, rounds strong flavors, and holds temperature steadily without stewing. For certain teas, it results in a rounder, smoother texture and taste compared to the same tea brewed in porcelain.
Our Heart Sutra Gaiwan is made from Dehua Zhu Ni clay – a different clay from Yixing, with its own character. This unglazed clay pairs particularly well with Yancha (Wuyi rock oolongs) and darker oxidized teas.
Houhin – The Japanese Counterpart
A Houhin (宝瓶, "Treasure Vessel") occupies a similar conceptual space to the gaiwan in the Japanese tea tradition. Lidless, with a built-in filter, it is designed for low-temperature brewing: gyokuro, high-grade sencha, and other delicate Japanese greens. Our collection includes ceramic and Arita-yaki porcelain Houhins.
How to Use a Gaiwan
Here is a short video demonstration on how to use a gaiwan. Hold the saucer in your palm, use your thumb and middle finger to grip the rim of the bowl, and use your index finger to rest on the lid. Tilt the lid slightly to create a gap, then pour. The width of the gap regulates how well it filters the leaves, as well as the speed of your pour. It takes a few sessions to find your grip. Once you do, it becomes second nature. For Gong Fu Cha, a gaiwan of 80–150ml is the standard range.