Cha Hai Slender

The cha hai (茶海), also known as gong dao bei (公道杯), is a cornerstone in the preparation of Chinese teas and tea ceremonies.

In China it is common practice to serve tea from small teapots and drink from small cups. While it is practical to pour directly from the tea pot, the small portion of tea in each cup will have a different flavour. The richness of the tea alternates between cups because the leaves freely float and continue to steep in the water while pouring. As a result, the first cup may taste mild in comparison to the intensely rich last cup.

The cha hai decanter offers a solution to this problem. By using the decanter as an intermediary, the tea in all its degrees of intensity blends within the decanter and thus each cup poured from the decanter will have the same richness. The second name for the decanter, gong dao bei, is a reference to this functionality and can be translated as "fairness cup".

All of our cha hai are made of robust, heat-resistant borosilicate glass and therefore suitable for serving very hot teas. The decanters can be washed by hand, but are also perfectly safe for the dishwasher.

Our tea team conducted several comprehensive tests for different cha hai decanters and decided for a range that best combines design and functionality.

The most important functional component of the cha hai is the cup lip, because it ensures that the tea can be poured cleanly and precisely. The cha hai that we selected have handmade cup lips that reliably pour the tea without spillage.

Of additional importance is the simple and comfortable fit in the hand. This cha hai is easy to grip, and feels both stable and sturdy. Pouring is easy: simply grasp the cup slightly below the rim and tilt in the direction of the cup lip.

The design itself is both timeless and traditionally Chinese. The dotted hammer indentations of the glass are elegant and allow the tea to shine playfully through the decanter.