'Vintage Meditation' Chinese Gaiwan Cup (120 ml / 4.1 oz)

A Chinese gaiwan cup that comes with a lid and saucer.

Looking for special teaware that's large enough to brew a perfect cup of tea, but at the same time compact enough to hold it comfortably in your hand? Look no further, a gaiwan cup is exactly what you need. This versatile tool was a major innovation during the Ming dynasty, and the preferred teaware among tea connoisseurs in China.

A Chinese gaiwan is the most popular choice of teaware for brewing teas with delicate flavors such as green and white tea. The cup shape with lid combination allows for easier appreciation of the leaves compared to a Yixing teapot. In addition, gaiwan cups don't absorb the flavor of teas which does happen with Yixing teaware over time. The taste and aroma of teas with light flavors can therefore be strongly affected when steeped in Yixing teapots. Connoisseurs always use a specific Yixing teapot only for one type of tea. One teapot for oolong, one for sheng puerh etc..

On the other hand, steeping teas with stronger flavor, such as oolong and puerhs, in a gaiwan cup is completely fine, because gaiwan cups don't absorb flavors.