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Drinking vessels · China

Pinming Cup 品茗杯 pǐnmíng bēi

The small tasting cup used in Chinese gongfu tea service.

Origin
China
Period
Qing dynasty (18th century)
Materials
porcelain, Yixing clay, Ruyao, Jianzhan
Capacity
20-50ml

What it's for

Pinming cups are sipping vessels, not gulping vessels. Their tiny capacity is intentional: gongfu tea is brewed concentrated and consumed in small focused servings so the drinker can taste each infusion as it evolves. A standard pinming holds about a third of what fits in a Western espresso cup, which is enough for two or three sips.

History

The pairing of a small drinking cup with a tall aroma cup developed in southern Fujian and Chaozhou Guangdong as part of the Chaozhou gongfu cha tradition during the late Qing dynasty. The set spread to Taiwan in the 19th and 20th centuries and was further refined there. Today the pinming cup alone, without the wenxiang cup, is the more common arrangement in mainland gongfu service.

How to use

Preheat the cup with hot water before pouring tea. Fill no more than 70 percent full. Hold with thumb and index finger on the rim and middle finger supporting the foot, a grip called the three-dragon stance (san long fu ding). Sip in three small mouthfuls rather than draining in one go, drawing air across the tongue to engage retronasal aroma.

Buying tips

Choose a cup with a wide opening relative to its depth; this releases aroma faster. The interior should be white or very pale to read liquor color accurately, which is why Jingdezhen porcelain is the default. Beware Jianzhan cups under 30 USD, which are usually mass-produced fakes. Buy sets of six or eight rather than odd numbers, as Chinese tea custom dislikes pouring for one.

Variants

  • Jingdezhen porcelain
  • Ruyao crackle glaze
  • Jianzhan tenmoku
  • Yixing clay (paired with Yixing pot)

Best pairings

  • all gongfu-brewed teas
  • Wuyi rock oolongs
  • Dan Cong
  • aged puerh
  • Tieguanyin

Teas to brew with this