Cha Hai (Fairness Pitcher)
A cha hai, or fairness pitcher, is a small pitcher that receives each gongfu infusion so every cup in the round gets tea of equal strength.
Definition
The cha hai (茶海, "tea sea") is also called the gong dao bei (公道杯, "fairness cup" or "cup of justice"). In gongfu brewing, the brewer empties the gaiwan or teapot completely into the pitcher at the end of each infusion and then pours from the pitcher into each guest's cup. The pitcher solves a real problem. Tea poured straight from a pot into a row of cups grows stronger as the pour goes on, so the first cup is weak and the last is strong. Mixing the whole infusion in one vessel evens it out. It also stops extraction exactly on time: once the leaf is fully drained, the next steep starts from a known state, which matters when steep times are only a few seconds. The fairness pitcher is a relatively modern addition to gongfu practice. The older Chaozhou method skips it and instead pours back and forth across tiny cups in quick circles, a technique called "Guan Gong patrolling the city" followed by "Han Xin counting soldiers" for the final drops. Most brewers today find the pitcher simpler.
In Depth
Choosing one: glass shows the liquor's color and clarity, which is useful when judging extraction; porcelain matches a gaiwan and holds heat slightly better. Capacity should be at least the brewing vessel's full volume plus 20%, so a 120 ml gaiwan pairs with a 150 ml or larger pitcher.
A sharp spout that stops without dripping is the main quality test. Handled pitchers stay cooler; handle-less ones are easier to clean and stack.
Many brewers rest a fine mesh strainer on the pitcher to catch leaf fragments from broken pu'er or fannings-heavy oolong. Rinsing the pitcher with hot water at the start of a session prevents the first infusion from cooling sharply. Empty it completely each round so old tea does not dilute the next infusion.
See Also
- Gongfu Teaware
- Chaozhou Gongfu Tea
- Tea Serving