This beautiful glass gaiwan allows you to enjoy your tea in a more traditional Chinese style. The glass construction allows you to enjoy the beauty of the leaf while steeping especially with beautiful teas like Bai Hao Silver Needle, Dragon Well, and Bao Zhong.
Gaiwan Significance
The gaiwan, literally meaning lidded (gai) bowl (wan) originally consisted of the bowl and lid, evolving over time to include the saucer as well. It was developed at a time when the use of tea leaves, instead of powder, started to become popular after the Yuan Dynasty (History of Tea). Steeping from leaves created the problem of separating leaves from the liquid and as it turns out, the lid of the Gaiwan works quite well to hold back leaves while drinking. It also works quite well to pour off the liquid entirely to another bowl or cup. The size of the cup itself is relatively small, though a perfect size for one person and it allows individual choice of water temperature and strength.
Learn about the history and use of the Chinese Gaiwan in Preparing Tea in a Gaiwan.
