Types Of Chinese Teacups

It may come as a 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.