Gaiwan tea cup: enjoy tea the Imperial way

China is not only known for its diverse food culture, but also for the wide variety of tea cups. The Gaiwan tea cup is one of those Chinese tea cups! For hundreds of years, people in China drink from this cup because of a number of specific benefits. Do you feel like learning everything about this lovely tea cup and the way you drink from it? Then read on!

The Gaiwan tea cup

This type of tea cup usually consists of three parts: the cup itself, the saucer and a lid. The traditional design has no ear to hold the cup and was introduced during the Ming Dynasty. The creation of this tea cup goes hand in hand with the way people preferred to drink tea. To fully enjoy the aromas, people in China like to steep the loose leaves directly in the hot water.

Nowadays we know all kinds of methods to ensure that you do not accidentally drink the tea leaves. However, during the Ming Dynasty the solution was found in the lid. People used the lid to separate tea leaves from the tea water while drinking it. The Gaiwan tea cup is therefore ideal to enjoy fresh tea leaves directly from your cup. Also, the lid keeps your tea warm!

How do you drink from the Gaiwan tea cup?

First things first! In order to enjoy drinking from the Gaiwan tea cup you will first need to have some good quality tea. Don’t have a nice tea yet? Take a look at the tea products of Zheng Tea Room.

Instead of using tea bags, we would advise to enjoy loose tea leaves this time. Put a quantity of loose tea leaves in your cup and then add hot water. Let it steep until you have the perfect taste. Then drink your tea by holding the cup with one hand and the lid with the other hand. Now you can use the lid to distinguish the tea from the tea leaves while drinking.

Don’t have any Gaiwan tea cups yet, and is it time to replenish your tea stock as well? Then check out our website for various gift packages. They not only contain various teas and snacks, but also Gaiwan tea cups. Please note: take a good look at the type of gift package, because not every box contains a Gaiwan cup.