Landmark Gaiwan LargeEmerging from the table like a titanic sculpture, this large and thick gaiwan by Liu Shisan is weighty and monolithic, with a textured glazes suggesting roughly carved marble and oxidised iron. The clay has been carefully worked to keep the two from encroaching on one another, and the dark pedestalled foot and button with a shallow basin resemble nothing so much as an old stone and bronze fountain just waiting for water. The wide, sturdy construction

The noticeable roasting takes a backseat to the even texture and clean taste

this Yixing teapot reinterprets the classic Han Wa form in a strikingly modern way

watch our YouTube video Tea On Vacation: The Best Tea Set for Gongfu Cha On The Road

Flattened in silhouette

the oldest tea tree in the entire village

is the result a body of pristine build with a lid so well-fitted

(Best with gongfu brewing) Try to note the longevity of the tea leaves: how many infusions can you get out of the same leaves

mao cha is steamed and packed tightly into cylindrical baskets between layers of reed leaves and palm bark that regulate a slow and steady fermentation (try the younger Qian Liang 2021)

more widely

Lü Qiongying’s garden

Perhaps in this deep

Through years of meticulous practice