The Gongfu tea ceremony is the most refined expression of Chinese tea culture. Learn everything about the Gongfu tea set, the utensils you need, and the steps to get through your first ceremony with confidence.
What Is Gongfu Cha?
Gongfu Cha (功夫茶) literally means "tea made with skill." It is a traditional Chinese brewing method that uses small vessels, short steeping times and multiple infusions to bring out the full range of a tea's aromas.
Unlike Western-style brewing (one large teapot, one long infusion), Gongfu Cha lets you taste how a tea evolves from one infusion to the next — a genuinely meditative experience.
What's in a Gongfu Tea Set
The Essentials
| Utensil | Function | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Gaiwan (盖碗) | Brewing bowl with lid and saucer | 100-150ml, porcelain is a good place to start |
| Cha Hai (茶海) | Serving pitcher for dividing the tea evenly | Glass (shows the colour of the tea) |
| Cups | Small tasting cups (30-60ml) | 2-4 matching cups |
| Strainer | Filters the leaves as you pour | Fine metal mesh |
Going Further
- Tea tray (Cha Pan): Catches the overflow water during the ceremony — See tea trays
- Tea pet (Cha Chong): A ceramic figurine that is "fed" with the first infusion, a traditional symbol of good luck — Discover tea pets
- Yixing teapot: An alternative to the gaiwan for darker teas — Yixing teapots
The 8 Steps of the Gongfu Ceremony
- Warm: Pour hot water into all the utensils, then empty them — this preheats the ware and helps hold the temperature
- Measure: Place 5-8g of loose tea in the gaiwan
- Rinse: Pour in hot water and discard that first infusion right away — this "wakes up" the leaves
- First infusion: Pour water at the right temperature and let it steep for 15-20 seconds
- Strain: Pour through the strainer into the Cha Hai
- Serve: Divide evenly among the cups
- Savour: Smell the aroma, sip slowly, and notice the nuances
- Repeat: Same leaves, with a slightly longer steep each time (+5 seconds per infusion)
Which Loose Tea Works for Gongfu?
| Tea type | Temperature | First infusion | Infusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green tea | 75-80°C | 10-15s | 3-5 |
| Oolong | 90-95°C | 15-20s | 5-8 |
| Pu-erh | 95-100°C | 10-15s | 8-15 |
| Black tea | 90-95°C | 15-20s | 4-6 |
| White tea | 80-85°C | 20-25s | 4-6 |
For Gongfu, good-quality loose Chinese tea works best — whole leaves unfurl and release new flavours with each infusion.
→ Shop loose-leaf tea at Tealibere
Loose Leaf vs Tea Bags
Gongfu Cha calls for whole leaves that have room to fully unfurl. Tea bags usually contain broken leaves (fannings), which typically give only one infusion and a flatter flavour.
Build Your Gongfu Tea Set
At Tealibere, we offer complete sets and individual pieces so you can put together your ideal ceremony:
- Handcrafted gaiwans
- Jian Zhan tea cups
- Complete Gongfu sets
- Premium loose-leaf teas
Free standard shipping on orders of US$59 or more.
