What is a gaiwan?
One lid, one bowl, one saucer. Look inside a porcelain gaiwan, see how the pieces work together, and learn the basics of a steady pour.
Original illustrative animation. Diagrams are not to scale.
If the film does not play in your browser, open the video here.
Read the narration
Meet the gaiwan: a Chinese lidded bowl for brewing loose leaf tea.
A classic gaiwan has three parts: the lid, the bowl, and the saucer.
This cutaway shows the bowl's hollow interior, its porcelain body, and the glaze on its surface.
The bowl holds the tea leaves and water. The lid helps hold the leaves back as you pour.
Add tea leaves, then water suited to your tea. Leave a little space below the rim.
Tilt the lid to leave a small opening. Keep it steady as you pour into a pitcher or cup.
Take care with hot water and hot surfaces. Practice with an empty gaiwan first. Three simple pieces, for your everyday tea ritual.
Read the five-step brewing guide
Start with an empty gaiwan or cool water. Hot water, steam and porcelain can burn; let the gaiwan cool if the rim or lid feels too hot.
Warm the gaiwan
Add a little hot water to warm the bowl, then discard it carefully. Keep your fingers clear of hot porcelain and rising steam.
Add your tea
Use your tea maker’s gongfu brewing instructions as a starting point. The amount of leaf depends on the tea and the amount of water you use.
Pour and steep
Pour gently along the inner wall, keeping the water below the flared rim. Follow the temperature and steeping time recommended for your tea.
Tilt and decant
Move the lid slightly to leave a small pouring gap facing your pitcher or cup. Keep the lid steady and pour smoothly, staying clear of steam and the hot sides of the bowl.
Cool, rinse and dry
Let the gaiwan cool before removing the leaves. Handwash gently with a soft sponge and mild detergent, then rinse well. Dry the bowl, lid and saucer separately.
1:03
