What Is a Gaiwan? The 100ml Porcelain Essential for Gongfu Tea
For serious tea drinkers, the choice of brewing vessel is never purely aesthetic—it is functional, tactile, and deeply personal. Among all tea tools, the gaiwan (盖碗) remains the most direct way to understand tea.
While teapots are familiar, the gaiwan is the foundational tool of Gongfu brewing. The Elemental Gaiwan was created for this exact purpose: a 100ml high-fired porcelain vessel designed to support daily practice with clarity, balance, and restraint.
The Mechanics of the "Lid-Bowl"
Literally translating to "Lid-Bowl," the gaiwan consists of three parts: a saucer for stability, a bowl for brewing, and a lid for control.
Unlike a teapot, which relies on a spout and internal filter, the gaiwan requires your hand to become part of the vessel. The lid is the engine of the experience:
- Aroma Trap: The domed shape of the lid captures the rising steam, allowing you to smell the "top notes" of the tea before drinking — something often lost in a teapot.
- Manual Filtering: By tilting the lid slightly askew, you create a precise gap that holds back the leaves while pouring the liquor.
- Heat Dissipation: The wide mouth allows heat to escape quickly, preventing delicate Green or White teas from stewing.
Why Use a Gaiwan Instead of a Teapot?
The gaiwan has been central to Chinese tea culture since the Tang Dynasty, but why do modern professionals still prefer it over a teapot?
1. Total Control: A gaiwan allows for instant pours. There is no spout to clog or slow the flow. You control the exact second the water touches the leaf and when it leaves.
2. Neutrality: Teapots (especially unglazed clay) can mutate flavor. High-fired porcelain is non-porous, offering an honest, uncolored reflection of the tea's true taste.
3. Leaf Expansion: The wide opening allows you to view the unfolding leaves, checking their quality and expansion stage to adjust your next steep.
A Glazara Design Choice: The Thicker Taller Finial
While the gaiwan is a perfect tool, generic versions often suffer from a fatal flaw: the lid knob (finial) is too short or flat, causing the user to burn their fingers on the hot porcelain.
The Elemental Gaiwan addresses this specifically. We designed a thicker, taller, ergonomic finial that rises distinctly above the lid’s curve. This creates a "cool zone" for your index finger, allowing for a secure, heat-free grip even when brewing with boiling water. It is a subtle adjustment that dramatically changes the comfort of daily use.
Why 100ml Is the Ideal Size
Among all gaiwan sizes, 100ml is widely regarded as the most versatile for personal Gongfu sessions.
A 100ml vessel offers precision without being unforgiving. It provides enough space for full leaf expansion and ensures the ratio of water to leaf is optimized for both flavor intensity and economy. It is the standard size for boutique tea houses and professional tastings, making it suitable for beginners building technique and experienced drinkers refining it.
High-Fired Porcelain: Material Matters
Material determines how tea tastes. The Elemental series uses porcelain fired at temperatures above 1,300°C.
At this heat, the clay becomes vitrified — stable, dense, and exceptionally smooth. Because it does not absorb aroma or flavor, high-fired porcelain allows the tea’s original character to remain intact, whether you are brewing a floral Tieguanyin or a heavy Shu Puerh. It values accuracy over seasoning.
Glaze, Fire, and the Nature of Variation
Each Elemental EGaiwan is finished with a hand-applied mineral glaze. At over 1300°C, the glaze movement becomes organic and unpredictable. As color layers deepen naturally, the surface texture forms through fire, not mere decoration.
Because of this process, only a small number of gaiwans meet our standards for balance, glaze integrity, and usability. Each piece reflects a specific moment of kiln transformation — unique to you, yet consistent in performance.
Ready for the Ritual?
The Elemental Gaiwan is not designed to impress at first glance. It is designed to reveal itself slowly — through use, repetition, and attention. For those seeking a tool that values clarity over excess, it offers a quiet depth that grows with time.
Ready to start? See our Elemental Gaiwan Collection.
Special thanks to TheOolongDrunk from www.theoolongdrunk.com for capturing the Midsummer Night Elemental Gaiwan in its natural habitat — on the tea tray. His work in the North American tea community continues to inspire us.