Mutton Fat Jade White Porcelain Gaiwan
Encounter a heart-warming tea container, taking a sip or two of light and elegant tea in the middle of a busy schedule; between touch and vision, clearly comprehend heaven, earth and people of nature and ingenuity.
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Description
- Material: White porcelain
- Origin: Dehua, Quanzhou.
- Size: Tea bowl diameter 10.6 cm, diameter 9.5 cm, height 8.5 cm, capacity 100 ml/cc.
- Gaiwan, also known as “Sancai Bowl," originated in Sichuan during the Tang Dynasty and became popular in the capital during the Qing Dynasty. It is a traditional Chinese tea tool consisting of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer. The lid represents heaven, the bowl represents humanity, and the saucer represents earth, symbolizing the traditional Chinese concept of the unity of heaven, earth, and humanity. It resembles a small bowl and is typically made of bone china, although glass or purple clay materials are sometimes used. Gaiwans are usually white or plain in color to highlight the color and quality of the tea leaves.
- It is a recent creation by potters in Dehua, Fujian, one of China's porcelain capitals (along with Jingdezhen). Dehua is famous for their carved porcelain statuary, where the emphasis is on the texture of the clay and the character of the naked clay body, as opposed to Jingdezhen which is known for the painting on the surface of their wares.This strikingly-white, raw (unglazed) porcelain has an ethereal luminous quality to it that is achieved through a very specific ratio of flux to kaolin in the clay blend. This ratio must fall within a very narrow window to create the combination of a soft, matte finish with radiant translucence that gives this clay its name.
- The subsurface scattering of light through this porcelain is reminiscent of snow, beeswax, or, apparently, mutton fat. It is an excellent insulator and despite being unglazed is vitrified enough to make any kind of tea without taking on its flavor. Unlike normal raw porcelain, it doesn't stain easily - simply washing it with hot water and wiping it clean after each use is enough to maintain its brilliant whiteness through months of daily use. It will eventually begin to take on a soft ivory patina which can be easily removed with baking soda. Despite being unornamented white porcelain - the most standard of teaware materials - these wares never fail to turn heads when they're brought out.
- Using a Gaiwan is simple. First, the bowl should be preheated by rinsing it with boiling water. Then, the tea leaves are placed inside the bowl, followed by adding an appropriate amount of water and covering it with the lid. The steeping time depends on the quantity and type of tea leaves, typically ranging from 5 seconds to 3 minutes. Once the tea leaves have steeped, the lid and the edge of the bowl can be lightly grasped to separate the tea leaves, and the tea can be poured into a teacup for consumption.
- The design of the Gaiwan offers advantages such as simplicity, ease of use, non-absorption of flavors, fast heat conduction, practicality, elegance, and beauty. Firstly, the Gaiwan allows for better contact between the tea leaves and water, enhancing the aroma and flavor of the tea. Secondly, it enables convenient control of steeping time, as the lid can be gently held to pour out the tea when it reaches the desired strength, preventing further extraction of bitter components. Lastly, the Gaiwan serves as a filter to strain out tea leaf particles, ensuring clarity in the tea liquor when consuming.
- This classic Gaiwan benefits not only from the heat retention and luminous beauty of the clay but also the comfortable grip between the lid and the bowl due to the matte surface. Its function is noticeably superior to most glazed Gaiwan, producing a smooth, clean pour. While this Gaiwan is suitable for any tea and does not need to be dedicated, it has become our clay of choice for many low-oxidation Phoenix, Anxi, and Taiwanese oolongs, as well as early spring red teas and green and yellow teas of all kinds. The soft texture and excellent insulation of the clay make this Gaiwan a joy to hold and to use.
Mutton Fat Jade White Porcelain Gaiwan
$68.57
White