surprise to learn that many Chinese people are
meticulous in regards to tea wares. The reason for this is that
tea wares (such as teacups and teapots) play an integral role
in the preparation of tea. A proper Chinese tea ceremony would
not be truly successful without the use of proper tea wares. In
fact, it has been said that the true essence of a Chinese tea
ceremony could not be experienced if the tea wares involved
were lacking.
One of key items in the typical Chinese tea set is the Chinese
teacup. These days teacups come in different designs and forms.
They even vary in accordance with their intended use. This
article will detail three of the best-known and most popular
Chinese teacups currently available. These teacups are even
available in the market and can be found online at Web sites
such as http://EnjoyingTea.com.
Filtering Tea Cups
As the name suggests, tea drinkers primarily use a filtering
teacup or mug to filter the tea. This kind of Chinese teacup is
usually designed and crafted with internal filters. Here are few
examples of filtering teacups:
* Poet Filtering Teacup–a perfect companion for enjoying loose
tea leaves, this Chinese teacup is actually a porcelain mug. It
comes with an internal porcelain filter and its own lid,
allowing room for tea leaves to expand and provide full
infusion of the leaves. This variety of Chinese teacup commonly
depicts a picture of a Tang dynasty poet inspired by outdoor
beauty.
* Yixing Clay Filtering Mug–The Jiangsu province, an area
situated 120 miles northwest of Shanghai China, is the home of
this teacup. The Yixing wares have enjoyed a reputation as the
best vessels for tea for centuries. They were made from purple
clay and are said to absorb the flavors and aroma of the tea.
This style of Chinese teacup also has the ability to withstand
high temperatures and is slow to conduct heat. This allows the
handle to remain comfortably cool to the touch even when the
cup contains particularly hot tea. And, of course, this Chinese
teacup has an internal filter.
Specialty Tea Cups
* Four-Season Character Teacup–With four-season calligraphy
character at all sides, this is but an exquisite porcelain
teacup lives up to its name.
* Small Peony Flower Gaiwan–As implied by its name, a lovely
peony flower design adorns this porcelain Gaiwan. Becoming
popular during the Chine Dynasty in China, Gaiwan actually
originated from Ming Dynasty. While small enough to be held
comfortably for drinking, this Chinese teacup is large enough
to accommodate tea brewing, as its origins would suggest.
Cast Iron Tea Cups
* Black Cast Iron Teacup–Having long been considered as
perfect for enjoying tea, this teacup can serve as a great
companion for any cast iron teapot. Being a classical teacup,
it is made from sturdy iron and has enamel coating on the
interior that prevents rusting. Worth noting is that this
Chinese teacup now comes in different colors.
About The Author: Patricia Miller contributes articles to
several online magazines, most recently
http://products-center.com and http://mygud.com
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