In China, people who enjoy tea often keep a collection of their favorite teacups. If you haven’t found your perfect teacup yet, we’re certain you’ll discover one you love in our Chinese teacup series. We offer teacups in a variety of sizes, materials, designs, and shapes for you to choose from.
Traditional Chinese teacups are primarily crafted from three core material categories, each tailored to different tea drinking needs: ceramic, high borosilicate heat-resistant glass, and Yixing Zisha clay.
High-fired ceramic, including classic styles like blue and white porcelain, celadon, and painted porcelain, features a dense texture and stable glaze finish. It is the most traditional and mainstream material used for Chinese teacups.
High borosilicate heat-resistant glass is available in single-wall and double-walled insulated designs. It offers full transparency, allowing you to visually appreciate the color and clarity of the tea liquor.
Picking the perfect Gongfu tea tasting cup comes down to three key criteria for an ideal match.
First, choose the right capacity. Prioritize compact sizes between 30ml and 80ml, which align perfectly with the core principles of Gongfu tea: quick infusion and immediate decanting, small sips for full flavor appreciation.
Second, select the right material. For high-aroma teas, opt for white porcelain cups; for heavily oxidized teas, choose Zisha clay cups; for those who want to admire the tea liquor, glass cups are the ideal pick.
Third, consider the shape. Prioritize designs with a comfortable grip and uniform wall thickness. Narrow-rimmed cups lock in aroma, while wide-rimmed cups allow for faster heat dissipation.
Different teacup materials shape the aroma and taste of the tea liquor differently, with clear optimal pairings for each tea category.
Ceramic teacups have the widest versatility, working beautifully with nearly all types of Chinese tea. White porcelain cups accurately preserve the true flavor of the tea liquor, making them especially well-suited for black tea and oolong.
High borosilicate glass teacups are transparent and heat-insulating, fully showcasing the tea liquor’s color. They are the perfect match for lightly oxidized teas such as green tea, white tea, and yellow tea, and also work excellently for cold brew tea.
Zisha clay teacups have excellent porosity, which absorbs and elevates the tea’s aroma and mouthfeel. They are particularly ideal for heavily oxidized, age-worthy teas like pu-erh and aged white tea.
New teacups require thorough cleaning and deodorizing before their first use. First, wipe the inside and outside of the cup with a soft cloth using warm water and a small amount of food-grade baking soda, to remove dust and impurities accumulated during production and shipping. Next, soak the cup in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, let it cool naturally, then pour out the water. Repeat this process 2 times to fully eliminate any residual odors.
Important notes: Avoid using strong acid or alkaline cleaners on ceramic cups. Prevent glass cups from experiencing sudden extreme temperature changes. Never use hard tools like steel wool, as they will scratch the cup’s surface.
Properly made hand-painted ceramic teacups will not fade or peel with normal use. Our hand-painted ceramic teacups are crafted using high-fired underglaze and inglaze painting techniques. The hand-painted pigments are fully sealed beneath the glaze layer, with no direct contact with beverages or friction from cleaning. With normal use and washing, there will be no fading, and no harmful substances will leach into your tea.
Care tips: Avoid scrubbing the painted surface with hard tools like steel wool, and do not soak the cups in strong acid or alkaline cleaners for extended periods. This will preserve the integrity of the artwork to the fullest extent and extend the lifespan of your teacup.
