Wood and brass tea utensil set (gong fu cha)
✦ Naturally low in caffeine, enjoyed from morning to night
A tea utensil set, €57.
A wooden holder and its utensils — the gestures of gong fu cha, gathered within reach.
The essential utensil set for preparing tea the Chinese way. A wooden holder ringed with brass that keeps the tools upright, near the teapot, and five utensils to measure, unclog, grasp and maintain. Red-tinged wood, golden brass, precise gestures: everything that makes the quiet beauty of gong fu cha.
Exotic wood in red tones, warm under the hand, and polished golden brass. The holder bears an engraved floral motif. Each utensil blends wood and metal: the tip of a scoop, the point of a needle, the mount of a pair of tongs, the soft bristles of a brush.
Why this utensil set
The gestures of gong fu cha. Preparing tea the Chinese way is a sequence of small gestures: measuring the leaves, clearing the spout, grasping a scalding cup, drying a splash. Each utensil answers one of them. Together, they make the session smooth and clean.
Wood and brass, made to last. The red-tinged wood and the golden brass age well: they take on a patina, catch the light, and grow more beautiful with use. The holder keeps the tools upright and sheltered, always ready beside the tray.
A fine object, to use or to give. It is the accessory that completes a tea corner, and the right gift for anyone who loves to prepare tea with care.
The set in detail
| The holder | Wooden utensil holder, ringed with brass, engraved floral motif |
| The scoop | Scoop with brass tip, to take up and measure the leaves |
| The tea needle | Needle with cap, to clear the spout of the teapot |
| The brush | Natural bristles, to maintain the teapot and sweep the tea table |
| The tongs | Brass mount, to grasp cups and teapot without burning yourself |
| The wooden tongs | Wooden tongs, to handle the hot cups |
What each utensil is for
The scoop takes the dry leaves from the box and pours them into the teapot or gaiwan, without putting your fingers in.
The tea needle (a fine needle) clears the leaves that block the spout over the infusions.
The brush is used to maintain the teapot — you use it to spread water over a clay teapot and season it — and to sweep away the leaves that fall on the tea table.
The brass tongs and the wooden tongs grasp the scalding cups to scald and serve them without burning yourself or leaving fingerprints.
Care
Wipe the wood after use with a barely damp cloth, without letting it soak: wood does not like standing water. Avoid the dishwasher. From time to time, a drop of wood-suitable oil nourishes the material and revives its sheen. Dry the brush head-down and let it breathe. The brass takes on a patina naturally; a soft cloth is enough to restore its shine if you wish.
Characteristics
| Materials | Red-tinged wood (species to be confirmed) and brass |
| Contents | 1 holder + 5 utensils: scoop, tea needle, brush, tongs, wooden tongs |
| Holder height | ≈ 11 cm |
| Utensil length | ≈ 18 to 20 cm |
| Care | Dry-wipe or barely damp cloth |
Frequently asked questions
What's in this tea utensil set?
A brass-ringed wooden utensil holder and five utensils: a scoop to take up the leaves, a tea needle to clear the teapot's spout, a brush for maintenance and the table, brass tongs and wooden tongs to grasp the hot cups.
What are gong fu cha utensils for?
They accompany the gestures of preparing tea the Chinese way: measuring the leaves cleanly, clearing the spout, handling the scalding cups without burning yourself, and keeping the tea table tidy. They are the traditional tools of gong fu cha service.
How do you care for wooden tea utensils?
Wipe them after use, without letting them soak or going in the dishwasher. A drop of wood-suitable oil now and then nourishes the material. The brass takes on a patina over time and is revived with a wipe of a soft cloth.
Who this set is for
For those who prepare tea gong fu cha style and want the right tools within reach, gathered in a fine object.
For those starting out who want to equip themselves all at once, without hunting for each utensil separately.
And for those looking for a gift for a tea lover: useful, complete and lasting.
To go further
To put these utensils to work, discover how to prepare tea gong fu cha style, and browse our Yunnan teas.
Tea pressed by hand, as it was a thousand years ago
Qiao has been making tea for thirty years. By hand, following the old ways, she presses each cake herself on a stone mill, a craft handed down for more than a thousand years and today listed as intangible cultural heritage.
Our tea trees, some several centuries old, grow above 1,800 metres: we call them the "old immortals." Their leaves are fixed by hand in great woks heated over a wood fire, then rolled. Six months a year, we are there, at every step.
