Teaware
The “Scrolling Clouds” Handmade Gong Fu Cha set brings together four handmade pieces: a Jianshui Teapot, Teapot Rest, and two Teacups. All pieces are made from Jianshui Zitao (建水紫陶) – the unglazed purple pottery of southern Yunnan. Jianshui clay is dense, iron-rich, and low in porosity, which makes it more versatile than many other clay teawares. It doesn’t absorb aroma too strongly or lock itself to one tea type, so the set can be used for pu-erh, oolong, black tea, and other fragrance-forward teas.
In the set: Yixing Gaiwan (Zi Sha: Zi Ni), and two sets of Yixing Clay Zi Ni Aroma Teacups. Zi Ni's excellent porosity and heat-retaining properties work wonders in transforming the taste of tea, surpassing other materials like glass, porcelain, glazed teapots, or even other ZiSha clays.
This beautiful Gong Fu Tea Set depicts white cranes — a symbol of peace and longevity in Chinese culture. Throughout imperial times, cranes were depicted on the robes of officials to represent their rank. The greatest outcome of Chinese tea cannot be expected without a proper Gong Fu Cha Set.
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.
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.
The Heart Sutra Set, crafted from unglazed Dehua ZhuNi clay, includes a Gaiwan and Gong Dao Bei adorned with the Buddhist Sutra, and two teacups with minimalist brushstroke designs. The set features beautiful color contrasts and ergonomic shapes, enhancing the flavor, aroma, and overall tea-drinking experience.
This Gong Fu Tea Set includes a gaiwan and two teacups, crafted from porcelain and lined with silver. The set features serene landscape motifs in cobalt blue. Silver softens water, enhancing tea's sweet notes, while the porcelain exterior protects fingers from heat, making it both beautiful and practical.
This set includes a 170ml Houhin and two 50ml Teacups. Crafted from aged Dehua clay, the high-temperature reduction firing and high-iron content glaze enhance the tea's sweetness and flavor. This set combines vintage charm with practical functionality for an exceptional tea-drinking experience.
The Jianzhan glaze is not only stunningly beautiful. Rich in iron, it makes tea taste sweeter and more rounded. The cup's shape is called "Flower Bud". Flower bud represents new beginnings, hope and potential – the promise of growth and transformation. This cup is handmade by Yang Jia Jang, an Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage and a National First-Level potter.
This 50ml Silver-Lined Porcelain Teacup features serene landscape motifs with scholars, painted in cobalt blue. The silver interior ensures even heating and softens water, enhancing the tea's sweet notes. The porcelain exterior protects fingers from heat, making it both elegant and practical.
Exquisite 35ml Mutton Fat Jade Porcelain Tea Cups. Smooth to the touch and slightly translucent, this material resembles a 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 deeply with the practice of Gong Fu Cha and Zen philosophy.
This 50ml emerald Gong Fu Teacup depicts white cranes — a symbol of peace and longevity in traditional Chinese culture. The inside remains white — this allows us to admire the various colors of the tea brew.
This 50ml Iron-Gilded Aged Clay Teacup crafted from Dehua clay that underwent high-temperature reduction firing, features a retro bronze finish. The high iron content of the glaze adds sweetness to the tea's flavor, enhancing the overall tea-drinking experience with a unique vintage charm. Perfect for tea enthusiasts.
The 60ml Handmade Woodfired "Weathered Rock" Teacup is crafted from high-iron Dehua clay and shaped by natural elements through a traditional wood-firing process. Its rough texture, inspired by weathered rocks, creates a beautiful play of light and texture. No two cups are the same, each bearing the unique marks of ash and flame from the kiln. The result is an earthy yet refined teacup that feels like a natural extension of the tea ritual, bringing together tradition, artistry, and the unpredictability of nature.
This 45ml teacup, made from unglazed Dehua ZhuNi clay, features a minimalist brushstroke design. Its traditional shape and beautiful color contrast between the rich interior and subdued exterior enhance both the visual and tea-drinking experience, making it a perfect addition to any teaware collection.
Density is what makes Jianshui teaware the most versatile of the Four Famous Clays. You can drink Sheng Pu-erh out of it one afternoon and Dan Cong Oolong the next. The two-tone color you see on this cup comes from reduction firing. At 40ml volume, this teacup is perfect for Gong Fu Cha
Aroma cups are an essential part of enjoying the tea, especially oolong tea. As its name suggests, it is used for smelling the fragrance of the tea before drinking it. Made from renowned Yixing ZiSha clay (ZiNi), these cups will perfectly complement your tea.
Yunomi is the most popular type of Japanese tea cups. They are used when enjoying tea alone or with friends, in an informal setting. The design of this 160ml teacup features Seigaiha (青海波) – "blue ocean waves" – a traditional pattern in Japanese teaware that represents waves, symbolizing the flow of life.
A deep, wide chawan provides enough room for the chasen to move back and forth effortlessly, producing froth and dissolving the matcha powder. While traditional Hagi is often known for its milky white or loquat-colored glazes, this chawan features a Celadon glaze, resulting in a vibrant turquoise-blue with a dense network of fine lines called Kannyu (貫入)
A deep and wide chawan provides enough room for the chasen to effortlessly move back and forth to produce froth and dissolve the matcha powder. The term Akafuki (赤吹) refers to the red spray or blush of glaze across the bowl. On this bowl, it shifts in tone from deep crimson to dark burgundy, fading into the dark of traditional Tenmoku ware. The color seems to change depending on the light and angle.
Handmade by Rito Aoshima in the Shitoro-Yaki pottery style, this 400ml Katakuchi Chawan is perfect for making matcha the traditional way and moving it into smaller cups. When using a traditional chawan, the tea does not pour easily. Katakuchi Chawan lets you whisk your matcha and then cleanly pour it into other containers. It's excellent for sharing matcha with guests.
This matcha set includes a wide and tall matcha bowl crafted in the Hagi Celadon style, a bamboo whisk (chasen), and a bamboo scoop (chashaku). It's a beautiful and practical setup for preparing matcha the traditional way, with ample space to whisk properly and tools that do the job efficiently.
This matcha set is designed around a Tenmoku-style chawan – a deep, wide bowl with a rich, dark glaze – a blend of Tenmoku tradition and modern Japanese pottery design. The wide, 350ml bowl gives your chasen room to move, allowing you to mix the matcha evenly, while the deep glaze lets you appreciate the color and sheen of the foam.
Cha Hai serves to control the strength of the brew. Using Cha Hai ensures that the tea leaves do not continue to steep as they are sitting in a teapot. It is also called a ‘bowl of impartiality’, for it lets each participant enjoy the same brew.
About Teaware [+]
Gong Fu Cha (工夫茶) is a practice of making tea with skill, patience, and attention – 工夫 (Gong Fu) meaning the time and effort invested in mastering a craft. The teaware is not incidental to that practice. The material of the vessel, its size, its porosity, and its heat retention all shape what ends up in the cup. Choosing the right teaware for a particular tea is part of the craft itself.
Our teaware spans the major traditions of Chinese and Japanese tea practice – from Chaozhou clay stove and Yixing ZiSha teapots to Japanese Kyusu and Chawan. Browse by category, or read on for guidance on pairing teaware with tea type.
What Is Gong Fu Cha?
Gong Fu Cha is the Chinese practice of brewing tea in small, concentrated quantities using a high leaf-to-water ratio and short, repeated infusions. The same leaves are steeped multiple times. Each infusion reveals something different about the tea.
What Is a Gong Fu Tea Set?
A complete Gong Fu tea set typically includes a small teapot or gaiwan, a Cha Hai (茶海 – Fairness Pitcher), and teacups. A full setup may also include a tea tray (Cha Pan – 茶盘), tea tools (Cha Dao – 茶道), and a tea pet (茶宠 – Cha Chong). Having a complete set is not essential – many practitioners start with just a gaiwan, Cha Hai, and a few cups.
What Is a Tea Pet?
A tea pet (茶宠 – Cha Chong) is a small clay figurine that lives on the tea tray and receives the leftover tea during the session – rinse water, first steep, the last drops from the Cha Hai. Over time, an unglazed clay or porous stone tea pet absorbs the tea's oils and develops its own patina.
Gong Fu Tea Cups
In Chinese, the small drinking cups used in Gong Fu Cha are called Pin Ming Bei (品茗杯 – Tasting Cups). In the West, "Gong Fu teacup" is more widely used. Standard Gong Fu cups range from 30–90ml – small enough to concentrate aroma and encourage multiple short steepings.
Aroma Cups
Aroma cups (闻香杯 – Wen Xiang Bei) come in sets of two: a tall, slender cup and a short, wide tasting cup. Tea is poured into the tall aroma cup, which is then covered with the tasting cup and flipped. The tea moves to the tasting cup, and the aroma cup – still warm – is lifted and inhaled. This practice is most common with aromatic Taiwanese oolongs, though it works with any fragrant tea.
Yixing ZiSha (宜兴紫砂) – The Most Famous Chinese Clay
Yixing clay (ZiSha – 紫砂) comes from Yixing county in Jiangsu province. Its breathable micro-structure and steady heat retention soften some of the harsher edges in the tea, producing a rounder, smoother cup. Because unglazed Yixing clay is porous, it gradually absorbs trace amounts of tea over time – seasoning the vessel and allowing a subtle interaction between clay and liquor that deepens with each session. For this reason, many practitioners keep Yixing teapots dedicated to a single tea type or family.
The main ZiSha clay types:
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Zi Ni (紫泥 – Purple Clay): The most classic and versatile. Breathable, with balanced heat retention. Suited to pu-erh, aged teas, and oolongs.
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Zhu Ni (朱泥 – Red Clay): Fine-grained and less porous than Zi Ni, characteristic red-to-vermilion color. Favored for high-fragrance teas.
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Duan Ni (段泥 – Layered Clay): Stronger sand structure, more absorbent than Zi Ni, softens bitterness and astringency. Color ranges from golden beige to light yellow.
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Lu Ni (绿泥 – Green Clay): Named for the pale green color of the raw ore. After firing, it becomes pale yellow to beige depending on the temperature. A rare clay with excellent breathability.
Unglazed Yixing teaware should never be cleaned with detergent – water only.
Jianzhan (建盏 – Tenmoku)
Jianzhan (建盏) is Chinese black porcelain from Jianyang, Fujian, originating in the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD). The high iron oxide content in the glaze gives Jianzhan its distinctive deep black to iridescent blue-black tones, and has a practical effect on the tea: when hot water contacts the iron-rich glaze, iron ions are released that soften the water, neutralize tannins, and produce a noticeably smoother, sweeter mouthfeel. Jianzhan is particularly well-suited to pu-erh, dark oolongs, and black tea. For reference comparison, pair your Jianzhan cup with a neutral porcelain or glass vessel and taste side by side.
Teapots and Gaiwans
There are two primary brewing vessels in Gong Fu Cha: the teapot and the gaiwan.
A gaiwan (盖碗 – lidded bowl) consists of a bowl, lid, and (sometimes) saucer. Both gaiwan and Chinese Gong Fu teapots are small – typically 80–200ml – and made from clay, porcelain, or glass.
Choosing Teaware by Tea Type
White Tea Young white tea is delicate. Use thin-walled porcelain or glass – neutral vessels that won't overpower subtle florals. Yixing clay is not recommended for young whites; it can mask the tea's delicacy. Aged white tea, however, benefits from thick-walled vessels and handles Yixing well.
Green Tea and Yellow Tea Thin porcelain or glass works best. Green tea is temperature-sensitive and benefits from quick pouring – choose a teapot with a fast-flowing spout.
Light Oolong Tightly rolled lightly oxidized oolongs (Taiwanese high mountain, Anxi Tie Guan Yin) need room to expand. Use a tall, round teapot or gaiwan. Porcelain or glass preferred; porous clay is workable but less ideal.
Wuyi Rock Tea and Dan Cong Oolong Dark, roasted, strip-leaf oolongs suit flat, short teapots with thick walls. Porous clay – particularly Yixing Zhu Ni and Chaozhou Hong Ni – is the traditional choice: the clay rounds out robust flavors and accumulates the aromatic oils over time.
Black Tea (红茶 – Hong Cha) Chinese black tea handles high temperatures well. Thick-walled teapots and Yixing clay suit most styles. Exception: highly smoky teas like Lapsang Souchong are best brewed in porcelain or glass so the smoke doesn't permanently season the clay.
Raw Pu-erh (生普洱 – Sheng), Ripe Pu-erh (熟普洱 – Shou), Hei Cha (黑茶) Porous, heat-retaining clay teapots that absorb excessive bitterness and astringency and integrate the earthy, woody character of the tea.
Japanese Tea
Matcha (抹茶) requires a chawan (茶碗 – tea bowl), a chasen (茶筅 – bamboo whisk), a chashaku (茶杓 – bamboo scoop), and a matcha sifter. The chawan must be wide enough for the whisk to move freely.
Kyusu (急須) A traditional Japanese side-handle teapot made from clay. The built-in mesh filter holds back fine Japanese leaves. Used for sencha, genmaicha, hojicha, and most everyday Japanese green teas.
Shiboridashi (絞り出し) or Houhin (宝瓶) Similar to a gaiwan in form but with a built-in spout filter. The lid acts as a strainer during pouring. Ideal for low-temperature, umami-rich teas like gyokuro and premium sencha.
Tetsubin (鉄瓶) A traditional Japanese cast-iron kettle, used for boiling and holding water. The modern version – the Tetsu-Kyusu – is enamel-coated inside and can be used for brewing. Do not place on a stove.