Tools and Equipment
Below is the main items for gongfu tea, in Taiwan, known there as 老人茶 (Pinyin: Lăorénchá).
- brewing vessel, Yixing teapot, porcelain teapot, or a covered bowl gaiwan.
- tea pitcher (chahai), or any matching size decanting vessel, used to ensure the consistency of the flavor of the tea (Chinese: 公道杯, Pinyin: gōng dào bēi)
- hot water kettle, e.g. an electric kettle
- brewing tray, or a deep, flat bottom porcelain plate to hold spills (spills are not atypical)
- tea towel or tea cloth, usually dark-colored
- tea spoon (tea pick) for clearing the teapot spout, and clearing tea leaves etc.
- tea cups (traditionally 3 cups are used in most instances), matching size
- timer
- strainer, a tea strainer (Chinese: 漏斗, Pinyin: lòu dŏu) sometimes built into the tea pitchers
- tea holder, tea leaf holder for weighing and dispensing, or a wooden tea spoon to measure the amount of tea leaves required (Chinese: 茶匙, Pinyin: chá chí)
- optional: tea basin, bowl as the receptacle for used tea leaves and refuse water
- optional: scale
- optional: kitchen thermometer
- optional: scent cup (snifter cup) used to appreciate the tea's aroma (Chinese: traditional 聞香杯, simplified 闻香杯, Pinyin wén xiāng bēi)
- optional: A pair of tongs called "Jiā" (Chinese: 挾) or "Giab" in both the Chao Zhou and Min Nan dialects.
Read more about this topic: Gongfu Tea Ceremony
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