Chinese Tea Tray: What is The Purpose and How to Use  

There are many things to love about the Chinese tea tray, its beautiful aesthetics, its great functionality, its art, how it connects you to the ancient tradition, and of course, the tea it makes. And even though this is all interesting information to know about the tea tray, you can not appreciate it without knowing its history and origin. 

The Chinese tea tray was first made popular by the Gongfu tea ceremony, which is a time-honored tradition in China. The Gongfu tea ceremony shows the meticulous art and presentation of making tea. The Chinese tea tray came in handy because it offered more than just tea making, it helped brew and serve the tea while ensuring the process was smooth and organized. 

There’s more to learn about the Chinese tea tray, its function, and how to use it. You will learn all these by the end of the article.

The Gongfu Tea Ceremony

You need more insight into the Gongfu tea ceremony to appreciate and understand the purpose of the Chinese tea tray. The Gongfu tea ceremony, a centuries-old tradition, finds its roots in the Song (960–1279) and Ming (1368–1644) Dynasties when tea culture was the order of the day in China. 

During the Song Dynasty, tea preparation techniques began to evolve, as people came up with more refined ways of brewing tea. It went on till the Ming Dynasty, when further innovations prompted them to transition from powdered tea to loose-leaf tea, which laid the foundation for the development of the Gongfu tea ceremony.

The ceremony gained prominence in the Fujian and Guangdong regions, where the climate and landscape were perfect for cultivating high-quality tea leaves. These areas took Gongfu tea making as more than just a way to prepare tea. To them, it became a cultural ritual to celebrate patience, precision, and appreciation of tea’s subtleties.  

Each step—from selecting the tea leaves to pouring the tea—is performed with an eye for beauty, creating an immersive experience. All these qualities were made possible and amplified with the Chinese tea tray. 

Purpose of the Chinese Tea Tray

The Chinese tea tray is not just an antique to have in your home and show off to visitors who love tea. Here are some basic functions the tea brings to making your everyday tea. 

Water Management

If you are used to making tea from scratch, you will know that brewing tea comes with water spillage, tea drips, and a lot of mess. The tea tray component of the set is designed with a built-in drainage system that captures excess water and tea drips. 

This prevents spills from damaging surfaces and helps maintain a clean and organized tea area. It also makes the tea-making and drinking process more convenient. 

Aesthetic Appeal

The tea tray is as much functional as it is pleasing to the eye. The tray’s design reflects a sophisticated personal taste and cultural appreciation. The traditional ones are made from stones, wood, or bamboo, which sometimes feature carvings and natural textures, giving the tea setup a great aesthetic appeal. 

The modern design uses sleek materials like glass or basalt but this does not diminish the tray’s beauty. So, whether you get a traditional or modern tea tray, you will end up receiving countless compliments and appreciation of art by anyone who sees it.  

Efficient Organization

Anyone who prioritizes an organized space will surely love the Chinese tea tray. The tray provides a dedicated space for organizing all the essential tea tools. It has different compartments and raised edges to keep the teacups, teapots, and tea utensils neatly arranged and within reach, making the tea preparation process smooth.

Improved Tea Experience

This might be the most important purpose of the Chinese tea tray. The tea made with the tray can be considered to be premium due to the quality of the tea used, the temperature control the design offers, and the precise brewing process. 

Also, the process and reward bring a moment of calm and mindfulness as the people savor the tea and its aroma. 

How to Use a Tea Tray

To optimally enjoy your tea tray, you need to understand how to use it especially if you are not used to using such intricate design. Here are the steps to using the tray. 

1. Set the Tea Tray

Before anything, you should learn how to set the tea tray so that everything is in order to be used easily. First, clean the tray surface to remove any dust or residue. Also, ensure that the reservoirs are empty and clean for the new tea brewing exercise. 

2. Organize

Then you have to arrange the components on the tray to maximize efficiency and aesthetics. Every component of the Chinese tea tray is functional for the tea-making process. You will need the Teapot, commonly called Gaiwan, to boil the water, so ensure it is in the accessible central spot. There is also the Tea Pitcher usually placed next to the Gaiwan to evenly distribute the brewed tea.

After setting these essential components, you can arrange the printing and aroma cups to serve the tea when ready. 

If necessary, you can add complementary tools like the Tea Holder to measure the tea leaves, the Tea Scoop to transfer the tea leaves, and the Tea pin to clear blocked teapot spouts.

3. Manage Water and Spills

The Chinese teaware usually comes with a drain or reservoir, and you should maximize its use for a clean and organized tea-making process. Make use of the Chinese tea tray with a drain when you rinse the tea leaves, preheat the cups, or want to throw out excess water.

To preheat the teacups, first, rinse the teapot with hot water. Drain the tea tray reservoir. Then, pour hot water into the cups and let them warm up before emptying them again onto the tray.   

4. Brew and Serve the Tea

Once you are done arranging the Chinese tea set and getting the cups ready, you’re just a few steps away from having the best-refined tea made by yourself. 

The first step is to wake up the tea leaves by rinsing them. Place the tea leaves into the teapot or Gaiwan, pour hot water over them and quickly discard the water.

Then you can steep the tea leaves by placing them in the Gawain and pouring hot water into it, letting it soak in the tea and its nutrients. Note that the steeping time can vary depending on the tea type and personal preference. After which you can pour the brewed tea into the pitcher arranged on the tray. 

If you're using aroma cups, fill the aroma cups with tea and cover them with the Pinming cups. Invert the cups to allow the aroma to be captured in the smaller cup.

5. Cleaning Up 

Once you are done with the tray, you can drain the tray to prevent damage from the water sitting there over time. Then clean the whole tray set and get it ready for your next tea brewing adventure. 

How to Serve Tea On a Tray

Serving tea on a tray is an art that needs to be learned especially if you are particular about being completely traditional in your tea-making process. There is a right approach to serving your guest in a polished manner expected of you, and the processes are shared below. 

1. Choose the Right Tray

This is a basic etiquette in general service and serving tea on a tray. Ensure the tray you are using is large enough to comfortably hold your teapot, cups, sugar, milk, and any additional items like napkins or spoons. You can also consider rectangular trays for better balance. 

2. Arrange the Tea Set on the Tray

The section above teaches how to organize your tea set for a smooth service process. In summary, place the teapot in the center so you can easily pour its content. Arrange the cups around the teapot in an organized manner, then add extras like a sugar bowl, milk jug, cutlery, etc. 

3. Prepare the Tea and Serve

After brewing the tea, hold the teapot firmly and pour the tea into each cup gently. If using a Gongfu tea set, you may want to use a tea pitcher to ensure the tea is uniform before serving. 

Serve the teacups one by one, holding them carefully with both hands or by the handle. Place each cup in front of the guest or allow them to take it directly from the tray. 

Conclusion

If you are a cultured tea or both, the Chinese tray is something you should not miss out on as it is a refined tradition that has been passed down for centuries. It is more than just a tea-brewing tool and you can tell that it is different from the coffee making machine. This tray 

The tea trays offer a blend of functionality, aesthetic beauty, and cultural depth. It damages the water spill, brings a sense of order and mindfulness to the ritual of tea-making, and makes the tea-making process wholesome. 

Embrace the practice and enjoy your tea not just as a beverage but as an experience of art, rich culture, and history.