A Chinese tea tray complete with all its accessories.

This complete Chinese tea ceremony set is a great gift idea for a loved one or for yourself. The tray is made of rot-proof wood and has a watertight drawer to collect the water used during the tea ceremony. The origin of the tea ceremony in China dates back to the 14th century during the Ming dynasty. Cha Dao, means “taking time for tea” while Gong Fu Cha is the art of preparing and serving tea.

Complete set for the tea ceremony.

The tea is prepared in small clay pots. A Gaiwan, a bowl with a lid, is used to prepare white, green and yellow teas.

During the ceremony, three teapots are used. One for heating the water, another one where the leaves are placed and to prepare the tea and finally a last one, to serve the tea.

Use of this service for the Chinese tea ceremony.

First, you will need to rinse the teapot and utensils with boiling water. The water used for rinsing is poured onto the tea tray, which is designed to allow water to pass into the draining drawer.

Add the leaves with a bamboo spoon or tongs or with chopsticks. The leaves are rinsed with boiling water in the kettle. The rinsing water is again thrown onto the draining tea tray.

After these two steps, the tea can finally be prepared. The preparation of tea is done with water not too hot (between 75 and 85º).

To appreciate the temperature of the tea, we will sprinkle hot water on the tea companions on the tray. Evaporation and steam formation will be observed to deduce the temperature of the water.

When you feel that the water temperature is adequate, soak the tea leaves once and serve. Repeat this operation as many times as the leaves can color the water.

Gong Fu Cha, or the art of preparing tea with its accessories

The art of preparing tea is called Gong Fu Cha. The tea can steep for less than a minute and be served in small tea bowls .

The bowls should be placed in a circle so that they can be served by turning bowl after bowl in one go.

The bowls are half filled because, according to Chinese tradition, the rest of the bowl is filled with love and friendship. Then the bowls are passed one by one to the participants and they are invited to smell the tea.

The protocol of the tea service.

Normally, tea is served first to the elderly who are the ones who try the drink before the others.

The tea is tasted by sipping it slowly and noisily. As a sign of appreciation, guests gently tap the table three times with their fingers.

Then pour the tea into another bowl and smell the one that was left empty. Finally, it is your turn, you must drink your tea bowl in 3 sips.

Enjoy the tasting.

• If you want the tray alone, you can find it by clicking HERE.

Description of the tea set with Chinese tray:

• Style : Gong-Fu-Cha tea set.
• 4 colors dominants.
• Full Chinese tea service.
• Suitable for 5 or 6 people depending on the choice of the set.
• Complete tea set with draining tea tray. Refer to the photos for the composition of each set.
• Dimensions of the tray: 42.5 cm * 28 cm.