Gaiwan 101: How to brew gongfu style

✦ Studio Journal 002 ✦

At its heart, Gongfu Cha (功夫茶) is about brewing tea with care and attention. Using more leaves, less water and multiple short infusions, you get to slow down and discover how an oolong changes from cup to cup.

At the centre is the gaiwan, one of the most versatile pieces of teaware you can own. You can brew almost any tea in it, from white and green tea to oolong, including the black tea you drink every morning. Once you get the hang of it, it might just become your everyday teaware.

 

Essential Teaware

A. Gaiwan ( 蓋碗 gaiwan )
Your main brewing vessel for steeping and pouring tea. 

B. Teacup ( 茶杯 chabei )
Small cups for tasting and drinking. 

C. Fair cup ( 茶海 chahai or 公道杯 gongdao bei )
A small pitcher for serving tea evenly. 

Tea Tools

D. Tea strainer ( 茶漏 chalu )
Catches small tea leaves when pouring. 

E. Tea scoop ( 茶則 chaze )
For measuring and transferring tea leaves. 

F. Tea coaster ( 茶墊 chadian )
Catches drips and protects your table. 

G. Tea boat ( 壺承 hucheng )
Holds your brewing vessel and collects excess water. 

H. Tea needle ( 茶針 chazhen )
For clearing blocked spouts or moving leaves.

I. Lid stand ( 蓋置 gaizhi )
A rest for your gaiwan lid. 

Brewing Gongfu style with a gaiwan might look intimidating, but you only need a few essentials to get started. The rest? Fun additions to make your tea table your own vibe.

It’s a five-senses experience. From the look of the leaves and the sound of boiling water to the aroma and changing flavours in your cup, every step invites you to be present and pay attention.

Let's get started!

 

 

Steps 1–4. Warm your teaware · 溫器 (wen chi)

Pour boiling water into the gaiwan, Fair Cup and teacups to warm the teaware before brewing. This helps prevent the hot tea from losing heat too quickly when it’s poured in later. 

Let the water sit for 5–10 seconds, then pour it into the water bowl.

Note → Water Bowl (建水 jianshui) — Collects discarded water during brewing.

 

 

Steps 5. Appreciate the tea · 賞茶 (shang cha)

Take a moment to look at the dry leaves. Notice their shape, colour and size. Good-quality oolong should have well-formed leaves with minimal dust or broken pieces.

This gives you a better idea of how to brew the tea later, from water temperature to pouring technique.

 

Step 6. Add the tea · 投茶 (tou cha)

Use a tea scoop and tea needle to gently guide the leaves into the gaiwan.

Our recommended tea-to-water ratio is 6g : 100ml, so a 100ml gaiwan is a great place to start and makes measuring easy.

Step 7-8. Release the aroma · 搖香 (yao xiang)

It’s time to wake up the aroma!

For ball-rolled oolong, place the lid on the gaiwan and gently shake or swirl it a few times to release the leaves’ fragrance. 

For strip-shaped oolong, such as Oriental Beauty, place the lid on and let the leaves rest in the warm gaiwan for around 20 seconds.

 

 

Step 9–10. Smell the tea · 聞香 (wen xiang)

Our favourite part!!

The warmth of the gaiwan helps release the tea’s aroma. Lift the lid slightly, bring it close to your nose and gently inhale. Take a moment to notice the fragrance before adding water.

Note → Why smell oolong? Oolong is worth exploring for its layered aromas, from floral and fruity to honeyed, creamy, roasted and nutty. Like coffee or wine tasting, smelling the tea helps you notice these subtle notes and how they evolve with each brew.

Step 11–12. Rinse the tea · 洗茶 (xi cha)

This step is optional. With high-quality tea, there’s no need to rinse the leaves, but we like to do it with ball-rolled oolong because the leaves are tightly rolled and this quick rinse helps them begin to open up.

Pour in the hot water, then immediately pour it out. Keep it quick so you don’t lose the tea’s flavour and aroma.

 

 

Step 13–14. Pour the water · 注水 (zhu shui)

Pour hot water into the teapot until the leaves are fully submerged, leaving a little room at the top. Then, place the lid on.

Pouring water → 
For ball-rolled oolong, pour hot water from a higher position in a steady stream, allowing the water to circulate through the leaves as they open and helping to release their aroma. 

For strip-shaped oolong, such as Oriental Beauty, use a gentler stream and pour in an N-shaped motion, allowing its delicate aroma to develop without disturbing the leaves too much.

Water temperature →
For ball-rolled oolong, use 100°C water, or 95°C if your kettle has temperature control.

For strip-shaped oolong, such as Oriental Beauty, try around 90°C to gently bring out its delicate floral and honeyed character. Play with the water temperature and brewing time to find your favourite cup.

Brewing time →
Our go-to brewing time is 50 seconds for the first brew, 40 seconds for the second, then add 10 seconds for each brew after that: 50s → 40s → 50s → 60s → 70s → 80s, and so on.

With good-quality oolong, you can typically get 7–8 brews from the same leaves.

Step 15-16. Prepare to pour · 手容恭泡法 (shou rong gong method)

Before picking up the gaiwan, slightly tilt the lid to create a small opening for the tea to flow through. Keep the opening narrow enough to hold back the tea leaves.

There are many ways to hold a gaiwan. For beginners or those with smaller hands, we recommend trying the Shou Rong Gong Method. Support the gaiwan from underneath with four fingers on the foot ring, and rest your thumb on the raised knob of the lid. Keep your palm away from the hot bowl to avoid burning your hand.

 

 

Step 17-20. Pour the tea · 出湯 (chu tang)

Once you have a comfortable grip and the gaiwan doesn't feel too hot, pour the tea quickly into the Fair Cup. We like to use a fine strainer to filter out small leaf fragments and create a cleaner cup.

Make sure to pour out every last drop to prevent the remaining water from continuing to brew the leaves. Open the lid and place it on a lid stand to release the remaining heat and stop the tea from over-brewing.

Note → Play around with the water temperature, brewing time, and amount of tea to find your favourite cup.

 

 

Step 21. Tidy the tea leaves · 整理茶葉

Between brews, use a tea needle to gently rearrange the leaves. We like to move the leaves from the bottom to the top to help them unfurl and brew more evenly.

Step 22-23. Serve the tea · 分茶 (fen cha）

Now for the best part: sharing the tea with the Fair Cup. It gets its name from one simple idea: everyone gets the same tea, with the same flavour and strength.

Pour the tea from the Fair Cup into the teacups, then use a small gesture to let your guests know the tea is ready to drink.

Note → If you're serving guests and want to check the flavour first, keep a master cup for yourself. Pour a small amount, taste it, then serve the tea when you're happy with the brew.

 

 

There are two common ways to hold a gaiwan:

A. Shou Rong Gong method
B. Three-finger method

No right or wrong here, find the grip that feels right for you and go with it.

Note → If you’re new to gaiwan, practise with cool water first until it feels comfortable and natural.

And That’s It!