brewing Pu'er Tea emphasizes the separation of tea and water, with gaiwans and purple clay pots being the most commonly used utensils. Many newcomers to the world of teapots may suffer from “choice paralysis,” wondering which is better between a Gaiwan and a purple clay pot. The answer isn't absolute.

Recently, a teapot enthusiast asked me via WeChat: Is a gaiwan more suitable for brewing Pu'er tea, or is it the purple clay pot? Let's explore this question together.

Newcomers to the world of Pu'er tea often start with brewing in a gaiwan—lifting the lid, adding tea, pouring water, closing the lid, decanting the tea into a fairness cup, and then serving it to each person. This is the initial ritual of drinking Pu'er tea.

As one delves deeper into the art of tea, they discover that the purple clay pot, known as the premier teapot, also pairs well with Pu'er tea. Experimenting with brewing Pu'er tea using a purple clay pot offers a unique taste experience.

Differences in Shape

1. Gaiwan

The gaiwans typically used in daily life come in two forms: one with a lid, a bowl, and a saucer, also called “Three Talent Bowls” or “Three Talent Cups.” The saucer helps insulate heat, making it easy to hold while drinking, and it is the most common type of gaiwan found in modern tea houses.

The other form, according to “The Chinese Ancient Ceramic Figure Dictionary,” is defined as a small covered bowl used as a tea utensil. This type of gaiwan consists of a bowl and a lid and was popular during the Qing dynasty. Both forms of gaiwans have an upper-wide, lower-narrow shape with a wide opening.

2. Purple Clay Pot

Purple clay pots were first created during the Zhengde period of the Ming dynasty due to Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's decree to “replace compressed tea cakes with loose-leaf tea,” which necessitated teapots that were “better suited for small sizes rather than large ones, shallow rather than deep, to enhance the aroma of the tea.”

During their illustrious 500-year history, famous pot makers left behind various classic pot shapes like the Qin Quan, Xishi, Siting, and Dezhong. Despite these variations, purple clay pots share the characteristic features of a narrow spout and a narrow mouth.

The different shapes determine that brewing Pu'er tea with a purple clay pot results in slower decanting, and the time it takes to pour out all the tea is constant, which can lead to a stronger brew. This makes it a preferred choice for experienced tea drinkers. On the other hand, the wide opening of a gaiwan avoids the hassle of “lid blocking the cup” and allows for easy observation of the tea aroma, color, and leaves, as well as quick decanting.

To make the tea stronger, you can gently scrape the surface of the tea with the lid, causing the tea to swirl, resulting in a lighter tea if scraped lightly and a stronger tea if scraped more vigorously. This method is suitable for beginners.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of Brewing with a Gaiwan:

1. The surface is smooth and does not easily harbor dirt or absorb flavors, making it easy to clean.

2. It is convenient to observe the tea and the leaves, and it facilitates smelling the tea aroma in the gaiwan lid.

3. The wide opening of the gaiwan makes it easy to control the angle and position of water entry, as well as the size and force of the water flow.

4. It allows for both Steeping and aeration, providing advantages in controlling time and temperature.

Disadvantages of Brewing with a Gaiwan:

1. The wide opening does not retain heat well, making it more suitable for brewing delicate raw Pu'er teas compared to a purple clay pot.

2. For older teas, tightly compressed teas, or higher-grade teas with coarser leaves, it can be difficult to fully release the flavor of the tea in water.

3. From an operational perspective, gaiwans can be hot to handle.

Advantages of Brewing with a Purple Clay Pot:

1. Good heat retention. Inside purple clay pots are many tiny air pockets containing air bubbles, which help retain heat within the still air inside the pot. Due to the nature of purple clay, heat dissipates slowly, resulting in a richer and smoother tea.

2. Strong absorption, allowing the tea's flavors to linger, with a stable and lasting aroma, although this feature can also lead to unwanted flavors.

3. It does not get hot to the touch during brewing or when handled, and it is simple to operate.

Disadvantages of Brewing with a Purple Clay Pot:

1. It is inconvenient to observe the tea and the leaves.

2. Cleaning is not as convenient as with a gaiwan.

Differences in Material

In “The Chinese Tea Encyclopedia,” a gaiwan is defined as: a drinking utensil, commonly made of porcelain. Gaiwans are often made of ceramic materials and are glazed on the surface, offering moderate breathability and heat retention.

Purple clay pots are made from clay rich in iron that has undergone geological sedimentation and metamorphism, creating a crystalline texture. These pots have both sealed and open air pores, showcasing the property of being “breathable but not permeable to water.”

The differences in material determine different performance characteristics. Purple clay pots have fine, densely packed pores with strong adsorption properties, combined with a narrow spout and mouth, which retain heat well and slow down heat dissipation, making them stand out in terms of heat retention!

Differences in Tasting Experience

From a tasting perspective, brewing with a gaiwan does not affect the tea's flavor and comprehensively presents the product's characteristics. Whether the strengths or weaknesses of a tea, one can tell simply by brewing it in a gaiwan!

The gaiwan objectively showcases the tea's flavor, making the characteristics of the tea broth clear. This is why tea evaluators use “gaiwans” when tasting and evaluating teas!

The reason why purple clay pots are crowned “the supreme teapot in the world” is because they “do not overpower the aroma and do not impart a cooked flavor,” enhancing the tea's flavor when used for brewing!

This is precisely because the pores in