Gong Fu Tea|chA - Episode 32 - Tea Vessels: What Kinds and What Are They For?

In this episode, So-Han walks us through the many different types of vessels we might come across in the world of Chinese Tea. We mostly take a sort of historical/chronological view toward laying out what each vessel is and does.

First, we talk about Jian Cha (煎茶) or "simmered tea." This is the first way that people started making tea was by boiling the leaves in water (not unlike Chinese medicine), and ladling it into bowls. This carried through the Tang Dynasty, and then in the Song Dynasty, people started making tea directly in the bowl, using powdered tea and a whisk (like Japanese Matcha - tea was introduced to Japan from China during the Song Dynasty). This whisked tea style is called Dian Cha (点茶). It was in the Ming Dynasty that, by imperial decree, people started steeping their tea in lidded bowls or "gaiwan." Steeping tea is called Pao Cha (泡茶).

Later, but still in the Ming Dynasty, we see the advent of the teapot, probably the most iconic form of vessel for steeping tea. The teapot was originally a reimagining of a Song Dynasty era vessel for serving alcoholic beverages, adapting the design to work for making tea.

Overall, we tend to think of gaiwans as vessels that are good for exploring a tea or learning about a tea or trying something new because of the affordances that it offers (you can raise the lid and see the color, you can smell the lid, etc.). Teapots, on the other hand, are a bit more specific a tool, especially unglazed ones like Yixing teapots, which will develop a patina through use.

Next we move on to discussing the Gong Dao Bei, a vessel that was adapted from an older way of making tea in which people would make tea in one gaiwan or teapot, called the Mu Hu or "Mother Pot," and then pour the steeped tea into another teapot called a Hai Hu or "Ocean Pot."

Other vessels we explore include the Shou Zhua Hu or "Hand Grabbed Pot," more modern travel sets that include things like filters to catch the leaves, side handle pots (including traditional kettles called Sha Hu 砂壶 "Sand Pots") and gong dao bei, and large pots used for what in the West we call "Grandpa Style" (in Chinese is called 大壶茶, Da Hu Cha, "Big Pot Tea").

Finally, we discuss different types of cups. For the most part, the usefulness of different types of cups comes down to personal preference, but we do feature a couple of types of cups with specific uses. The Summer Cup is a wide-mouthed cup that is good for letting tea cool quickly in the summertime. Smelling Cups are tall and thin, and are especially good for catching the scent of oils evaporating off of the cup.

Teas featured in this episode:
-Mandarin Orange Pu'er (小青柑, Xiǎo Qīng Gān, "Small Green Orange") - https://westchinatea.com/mandarin-ora...

Music by: B. Glenn Copeland (www.SongCycles.com)

Production Credits:
Produced/Directed by: Echo Duemig
Edited by: Henry Arrambide
Cha Xi ("tea stage" - the tea "set up" for this episode) by: Echo Duemig