GaiWan

Cover bowl is a kind of Chinese teaware with lid on top, bowl in the middle and base under. The Sichuan “Cover Bowl Tea” uses this teaware. Also called “Three-talents Bowl” and “Three-talents Cup”, the lid stands for sky, bowl stands for people, and base stands for land, expressing the idea of heaven, earth and human being. Cover Bowl Tea requires boiling water to flush the bowl first, then put tea leaves into it with water added and covered. Teapot time is about 20 seconds to 3 minutes according to the amount and types of tea leaves. Originated in Tang Dynasty in Sichuan Province and popularized in Beijing during Qing Dynasty.

One definition of a “三才碗” found in the Chinese Tea Dictionary is “a cup with a lid and a teacup. Most commonly made of porcelain, the teacup is separated from the lid by a saucer to keep it warm while drinking. This type of teapot consists of three items: bowl, lid, and saucer and is one of the most common and recognizable teapots used in modern tea houses, also known as the “Three-in-one Cup”.
Another description found in the “Chinese Ancient Ceramics Encyclopedia” is that of a teacup with lid, a popular piece of teaware during the Qing dynasty. Such teacups consist of cup and lid, and have been increasingly seen in recent years due to the resurgence of tea culture.