A gaiwan (lit. "covered bowl") is a covered cup used for the infusion and consumption of tea. Tea leaves in a gaiwan. ...

History

Prior to Ming dynasty China, tea was normally consumed from the vessel in which it was prepared in. As described by the tea master Lu Yu, this special bowl had to be large enough to accommodate the implements and actions of tea brewing, though compact enough to be held comfortably in the hands for consumption. The term for this versatile piece of equipment was simply chawan (lit. "tea bowl"). It was during the Ming dynasty that the innovations in both tea ritual and tea preparation gave rise to a smaller, yet equally functional vessel called a gaiwan. The Míng Dynasty (Chinese: 明朝; Pinyin: Míng Cháo) was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. ... A statue of Lu Yu located in Xian Lu Yu (陆羽) (733 – 804) is respected as the Sage of Tea for his contribution to Chinese tea culture. ...

Function

The gaiwan is considered by many tea connoisseurs to be the preferred method for brewing teas with delicate flavors and aromas, such as green tea and white tea. The versatility of the gaiwan is also noted in the preparation of oolong infusions because of this particular tea's ability to be infused multiple times; however, the gaiwan is suitable for any type of tea. The gaiwan consists of a saucer, bowl, and lid. The lid allows the tea to be infused right in the bowl and either be drunk right from the bowl (traditionally using the lid to block the leaves for ease of consumption), or decanted into another container. The gaiwan itself can be made from a myriad of materials, from porcelain to glass. Gaiwans made from Yixing clay or jade are particularly prized by collectors of tea paraphenalia. Green tea (绿茶) is tea that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. ... Bai Hao Yinzhen from Fuding in Fujain Province, widely considered the best grade of white tea Bai Mu Dan, widely considered to be the second grade white tea White tea is tea made from new growth buds and young leaves which have been steamed or fried to inactivate polyphenol oxidation... Alternate meanings: Oolong (disambiguation) Oolong tea leaves Wuyi Huang Guan Yin tea leaves Wuyi Qi Lan Oolong tea leaves Oolong (Chinese: 烏龍; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is a traditional Chinese type of tea somewhere in between green and black in oxidation. ... A figurine made of porcelain For the indie band Fine China see Fine China. ... The material definition of glass is a uniform amorphous solid material, usually produced when a suitably viscous molten material cools very rapidly to below its glass transition temperature, thereby not giving enough time for a regular crystal lattice to form. ... This article may not be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ... A selection of antique, hand-crafted Chinese jadeite jade buttons Jade An ornamental stone, jade is a name applied to two different silicate minerals. ...

References

• How to Brew Gaiwan Tea