The silent partner in every session
Small cups have been central to Chinese tea culture since the Ming dynasty, but their role in gongfu cha is particularly intimate. Originating in Chaoshan, the ritual of serving strong, concentrated infusions into tiny cups evolved as a way to share tea among many friends, each sip a fleeting moment of flavour. The cup’s size — typically 25–40ml — forces you to engage all your senses: the colour, the aromatic mist, the warmth against your lips, and the lingering aftertaste.
Two materials dominate the gongfu cup world: porcelain and zisha. Porcelain, with its vitreous surface, is non-reactive and reveals the tea’s true hue, making it the choice of judges and purists. It’s easy to clean and keeps aromas pure from one session to the next. Zisha (Yixing clay) cups, on the other hand, are porous and breathe. Over time, they season, subtly rounding the tea’s edges and absorbing its character. A zisha cup becomes a companion, dedicated to one type of tea.
The paired aroma-and-sipping cup set — wén xiāng bēi (闻香杯) and drinking cup — is a Taiwanese tradition often used for oolong. After pouring, the slender aroma cup traps volatile compounds; you then invert it over the drinking cup, releasing a concentrated bouquet before tasting. This two-step ritual elevates the experience, especially for floral rolled oolongs like Mí Lán Xiāng.
Whether you select a set of six identical cups for a formal gathering or a single pair for personal meditation, the cup is the final frontier where tea meets the drinker. For a deeper dive, browse the history of teaware on thetea.app or join a gongfu service masterclass at tea.school.
Three cup sets for the season
From pure white tasting porcelain to richly textured zisha, these cup sets cover every gongfu need. Each set is crafted in small batches and tested by our head sommelier for lip comfort and aroma delivery.