Gaiwan

Gaiwan
Three gaiwan in front of a tea tray
Traditional Chinese	蓋碗
Simplified Chinese	盖碗
Literal meaning	lidded bowl
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin gàiwǎn IPA [kâi̯.u̯àn]
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	蓋杯
Simplified Chinese	盖杯
Literal meaning	lidded cup
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin gàibēi IPA [kâi̯.péi̯]
Second alternative Chinese name
Chinese	焗盅
Literal meaning	hot-steeping vessel
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin júzhōng IPA [tɕy̌.ʈʂʊ́ŋ]

A gaiwan (/ˈɡaɪwɒn/) or zhong is a Chinese lidded bowl used for the infusion of tea leaves and the consumption of tea. It was invented during the Ming dynasty. It consists of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer.

Prior to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), tea was normally consumed from the vessel in which it was prepared. As described by the tea master Lu Yu, this special bowl had to be large enough to accommodate the implements and actions of tea brewing, though compact enough to be held comfortably in the hands for consumption. The term for this versatile piece of equipment was chawan (茶碗; lit. "tea bowl"). It was during the Ming dynasty that the innovations in both tea ritual and tea preparation gave rise to the gaiwan.

Gaiwans are made up of three parts: a saucer, a bowl, and a lid. They can be made from a variety of materials, including porcelain and glass. Gaiwans made from Yixing clay or jade are particularly prized by collectors of tea paraphernalia. They are typically small, with a volume of around 100-150 ml.

A recently excavated Ming princely burial has yielded the first example to survive until modern times of a type of gaiwan set known from 15th-century paintings. There is a blue and white Jingdezhen porcelain stem cup, that has a silver stand and a gold cover (this dated 1437), all decorated with dragons. Presumably many such sets existed, but recycling the precious metal elements was too tempting at some point, leaving only the porcelain cups.

The gaiwan is considered to be particularly good for brewing teas with delicate flavors and aromas, such as green tea and white tea, although without the lid in these cases. The versatility of the gaiwan is also noted in the preparation of oolong infusions because of this particular tea's ability to be infused multiple times, but the gaiwan is suitable for any type of tea. The gaiwan is important in tea tasting due to its open and glazed surfaces: the former allows the tea to be viewed while brewing, and the latter prevents altering of the flavour and aroma of the tea during brewing. The lid of the gaiwan allows the tea to be infused right in the bowl and either be drunk right from the bowl (traditionally using the lid to block the leaves for ease of consumption), or decanted into another container.