At TEAPHOR, I strongly recommend three ways of preparing tea:

1. Gaiwan — the traditional vessel of Gongfu Cha (the art of Chinese tea ceremony), the purest way to appreciate the many layers of flavor in tea itself. From Padawan to master, this is the way!
(Best for tasting the true character of the leaves, light and transparent, ideal for Green tea, yellow tea, delicated white tea, young raw pu-erh, and also for tasting any tea in its most autentic form.)

In a professional tea shop in China, tea is usually demonstrated with a gaiwan, since it does not absorb the taste of the tea but purely reveals it.

2. clay Teapot — Another traditional vessel used in Gongfu Cha. its porus structure allows the teapot to breathe while remaining watertight, giving it excellent heat retention and subtle absorbency.
(Best for a rounder, richer brew with warmth and body, such as oolong, aged raw pu-erh or ripe Pu-erh, and aged white tea.)

The methods Gaiwan and Clay teapot are wonderfully flexible, allowing you to experience the full character of the tea again and again. With each infusion, you can discover new layers — the pre-tone, the mid-tone, and the lingering after-tone. What I love most is the sense of freedom: I can control the steeping time as I wish, making the tea lighter or stronger. If one infusion feels too light, I can deepen the next; if it comes out too strong, I can soften the following one. It’s not like the traditional way of brewing a big pot, all at once, where one mistake ruins everything and makes you nervous.

3. Simple infusion as a tea base — from which we create:

– Rich, flavorful milk tea.

– Vibrant, refreshing iced teas with our original recipes.

(Yes — it’s time to throw away those supermarket tea bags!)

Gaiwan

When I was young, I studied in a tea club where I first learned to use the Gaiwan as part of the tea ceremony. At that time, I didn’t really appreciate it. I wondered: Why brew tea little by little, instead of just throwing the leaves into a big mug?

If you’ve ever heard of Gongfucha (the art of Chinese tea ceremony), I’m sure you’ve asked yourself the same question.

The answer is simple: once you try excellent tea, you will understand. A truly fine tea reveals different layers of flavor — from the first sip to the last. Its fragrance may carry hints of wood, fruit, nuts, or flowers, each appearing in its own moment.

What makes tea so rich and complex? It is shaped by the climate, the soil, the rain and sunshine, the altitude, and the season of harvest. But also by the plants that grow around the tea trees — wildflowers, herbs, fruit trees, or even forest vegetation can lend subtle notes to the tea. And finally, the way the leaves are picked, withered, dried, and stored by skilled artisans completes its character. Every detail makes a tea unique.

I remember traveling in Yunnan, China, visiting ancient tea villages where families had tended tea trees for generations. They told me: tea from this hillside tastes different from tea just one kilometer away. And it’s true — each tea is a reflection of the life it has lived. Appreciating a fine tea is like appreciating a fine wine: it is the result of both nature’s gifts and human care.

I truly fell in love with the Gaiwan method the first time I tasted a very precious Pu’er tea. At first, the aroma was floral with a touch of honey. The first infusions were pure, light, and umami. By the third brew, dried fruit appeared; by the fifth, nutty flavors. Later, the taste circled back to delicate flowers, with a gentle astringency. Each cup was a new surprise.

This is the magic of Gaiwan: the small cups cool quickly, the brews are short, and you can enjoy layer after layer of flavor without long waits.

That is why I recommend everyone to try brewing with a Gaiwan. You don’t need to follow every step of a formal tea ceremony. Just learn the essentials — and it will open the door to a whole new world of tea.

How to Use a Gaiwan

Here are the most essential steps. (If you’re lazy like me, you can even skip to Step 3 directly!)

Step 1 – Preheat your Gaiwan

Pour boiling water into the Gaiwan set, then discard. This removes odors and warms the bowl.

Step 2 – Add tea and smell the aroma

Place the right amount of tea leaves inside, cover, and shake it up and down. The warmth releases the fragrance. Open the lid and enjoy the aroma.

Step 3 – Wake the leaves

Add water at the required temperature and volume for your type of tea. Steep just a few seconds, then pour out. This helps the leaves open, especially for compressed teas. Some discard this first infusion, others drink it — up to you.

Step 4 – Brew the tea

Add hot water at the required temperature and volume again, steep for the recommended seconds, then pour into a fairness pitcher (gong dao bei). From there, serve into small cups to appreciate.
What I always do is heat a large pot of water, and keep it in a thermos, so that I don’t have to heat the water over and over again -Of course, i am only this diligent with very percious tea or when i am doing a tea Ceremony 😛

Step 5 – Reinfuse and enjoy

Repeat the process. Some teas give only around 5 infusions, others more than 20. Continue until the flavor fades.

(For more details, you can watch the video linked below.)

✨ With Gaiwan, tea is not just a drink — it’s a journey through nature, history, and culture, one cup at a time.

By the way, do you know why the big cup to serve tea into small cups called Gong dao Bei (cup)?

Gong Dao Bei (公道杯) literally means “fairness cup” or “justice cup.”

When you brew tea in a gaiwan or teapot, the first infusion is not perfectly even. The top may be lighter, the bottom stronger. If you pour directly into individual cups, some people may get Light tea and others very strong tea.

To make it fair (gong dao) for everyone, the tea is first poured into this middle vessel (the gong dao bei). From there, it is evenly distributed into small cups.

This simple act reflects the tea philosophy of equality and balance: no guest receives better or worse tea; everyone shares the same taste.

So, the gong dao bei is not just practical, it also carries a cultural message — that tea drinking should embody fairness, respect, and harmony.