The China Tea Set: Origins and Style

The reason we refer to the typical porcelain tea sets that we use on a regular basis, or almost any tea ware as “china” is simply because the first tea ware came from the country of China. The name has stuck ever since. Of course the original china tea sets were very different from the tea sets we use today.

Originally, the first tea cup was apparently made in China around 200 B.C., during the Han Dynasty. These cups were small drinking vessels without handles, actually strikingly similar to the type of tea cups use for drinking Chinese wulong tea or green tea today.

Tea sets are made up of various items used for drinking and serving tea. Western tea sets are usually made from fine porcelain and consist of a cup and saucer and other items. Chinese tea sets are usually part of a larger set that is actually used for brewing and drinking tea, not only the tea cups alone. Of course, as mentioned above, Chinese tea cups are much smaller and often made from thicker porcelain or clay so that they can be comfortably held by hand without burning yourself.

A Western tea set is normally made from fine porcelain or bone china.  It usually has anywhere from two to six cups and saucers. It also often has a matching porcelain teapot, sugar bowl and small milk pitcher. These are sometimes arranged on a matching tray made from porcelain as well, or on a tray made from different material.  You will also find silver tea sets, though these do not usually include cups and saucers, just the tea pot, milk pitcher and sugar bowl.

A Chinese tea set is also made from porcelain or from clay. Frequently the tea pot included with the set is made from clay. This small brown teapot is called a YiXing tea pot and it is very famous for making Chinese teas. The pot itself is said to absorb the flavor of the tea, as it is very porous, thus there will often be several tea pots close by a Chinese tea set, one used for each different type of tea.

The actual items in a Chinese tea set differ quite a bit from those included with a Western tea set. Chinese sets also include tongs, a digger to get the tea out of the tea canister, a needle to clear the spout of the teapot, and often several different sized tasting cups as well as regular Chinese teacups. This set usually sits on a wooden tray.

Whether you are buying a china tea set for your own personal everyday use, or something that is to be used for more formal occasions, you will need to decide what style of tea set you want.

The first choice will be whether you are looking for an Asian style tea set or a Western style tea set. Asian tea sets include Japanese and Chinese tea sets, both of which are slightly different. If you are looking for a Western style tea set the choices range from the fine China and traditional English tea set or a more modern clay or ceramic tea set. Or, perhaps you would like to buy a Sterling Silver tea set?

There are many choices available for a variety of prices. Naturally silver tea sets are much more expensive than most China tea sets. It is possible to find some great bargains online and most major retail outlets also sell them. For something more unique you may want to peruse different tea retailers as they often also sell tea ware.

You will also pay more for a larger tea set in most cases, though again it does somewhat depend on what the set is made from and who it was designed by. Some Chinese tea ware is actually made by famous Chinese artists and potters and these can sell for thousands of dollars as they are considered more a work of art than just a tea set, or teapot. Amazingly enough many of these expensive tea sets are used to serve tea in; they are not set aside on display only.

Whether you choose a traditional English tea set or a Chinese tea set they can all be not only useful items for serving tea, but also decorative pieces that are great to display for all to see and admire.