Chinese Gongfu Tea Brewing: Steeps, Gaiwans, and Group Serving
Gongfu tea uses small vessels (gaiwan/yixing) for 5-15 steeps with evolving flavors. Group serving uses a fairness pitcher — each steep is shared simultaneously among all participants.
In Chinese gongfu tea brewing, a "steep" is a single infusion: hot water is poured over tea leaves, left briefly, then poured off completely. Quality Chinese teas yield 5-15 steeps with flavors evolving across each one. Individual brewing vessels: - Gaiwan: a lidded bowl, typically 100-150ml, the most versatile option - Yixing teapot: unglazed clay that seasons over time, dedicated to one tea type Group serving process: 1. Brew tea in the small vessel (gaiwan or yixing) 2. Pour the entire steep into a gongdao bei (fairness pitcher) to ensure even concentration 3. Divide from the pitcher into individual small cups Key etiquette: each steep is shared among ALL participants simultaneously. Everyone drinks from the same steep together before proceeding to the next one — this is fundamental to the social ritual of gongfu tea.