Wash by hand with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge, using a mild detergent if necessary. Do not put in the dishwasher or microwave.
Gaiwan
Kong Qu
Wu Haoyu
SKU
7057
Yoshi En has recently grown out of Sunday Natural to become an independent premium tea store. As part of this transition, some products may still be shipped in Sunday Natural packaging.
A filigree gaiwan of incredible delicacy and lightness, handmade by famous Chinese artist Wu Haoyu, using specially collected Nixing clay from the mountains of Guangxi province. Designed for authentic Chinese tea ceremonies, such as Gongfu; can also be used in informal settings. Kong Qu (空曲) means a high, steep mountain peak and poetically describes the gaiwan's steep, vertical, almost rocky aesthetic.
| Product | Gaiwan |
| Artist | Wu Haoyu |
| Origin | Nanning, Guangxi |
| Dimensions | Ø9.5cm x 7.6cm |
| Volume | 150ml |
| Weight | 100g |
| Material | Ceramic from Nixing clay |
| Artist stamp | Stamp of the studio on the bottom |
| Packaging | Beautiful gift box |
Each piece is handmade and unique. Colour, weight and dimensions may vary.
In stock
Wu Haoyu 吳昊宇
Wu Haoyu is Associate Professor of Art and Ceramic Design at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. He has exhibited at major art events such as the Venice Biennale and the London Design Festival as well as numerous art museums and even the Chinese Embassy in Italy. In addition to vases and abstract artworks, the tea connoisseur enjoys creating tea ceramics, which are unparalleled in their elegance and lightness. Wu Haoyu developed the aesthetics of many of his works, which centre on black tones, through years of intensive study of the clay of the Guangxi region, which he collects himself and processes using traditional methods. For Wu Haoyu, ceramics is a bridge between art and design, as both the work itself and the interplay with the surroundings each evoke a particularly aesthetic experience.
Gaiwan 蓋碗
The gaiwan (literally "bowl with a lid") is a classic piece of Chinese teaware used for infusing tea leaves, especially large-leaf oolong, green and white teas. The gaiwan is comprised of a small bowl with a lid and occasionally a matching saucer and can be made of a variety of materials such as porcelain, glass or Yixing clay. The gaiwan can be used both in tea preparation and as a drinking vessel. The gaiwan was introduced during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as traditional tea ceremonies evolved to become more complex and elaborate. The gaiwan is still used today throughout China in both domestic and formal settings, such as gongfu tea ceremonies and tastings. Gaiwans are suitable for use in highly aromatic infusions because of their curved shape and open design. Made of fine porcelain, gaiwans absorb the heat in such a way that the tea leaves are not excessively shocked or damaged, which ultimately results in a particularly gentle infusion.
Nixing clay 坭興陶
Along with Yixing, Jianshui and Chaozhou, Nixing clay is one of the best-known materials in Chinese pottery for creating high-quality tea accessories. Traditionally, the clay comes from the area around the Qinjiang River in Guangxi province, which to this day is the heart of the 1300-year-old tradition of creating Nixing pottery. Unlike industrial producers, Wu Haoyu personally collects and hand-mixes natural clay from deposits in the surrounding mountains for his works. The clay, which is very rich in iron, is usually left with a metallic black finish after firing, creating a charming matte sheen that is further enhanced by the roughness of the surface. Ceramics made from Nixing clay are suitable for all types of tea (except fruit and intense herbal teas), rounding off the taste slightly for a less astringent and more harmonious flavour profile. We particularly recommend this ceramic for darker Chinese teas such as Pu Er and Liu Bao teas as well as black and oolong teas.
