Six Gentlemen

A set of 5 postcards "Six Gentlemen".

€13.50 per set – free shipping within Germany / €1.00 shipping to the rest of the world (standard letter via the German postal service).

Customs duties and additional fees may apply for orders outside the EU.

With the development of tea culture, countless tools have been created for the tea table. The six most important ones are grouped as 茶道六君子 (chá dào liù jūn zǐ) — the Six Gentlemen of tea culture. This is just one version of the “gentlemen,” so be aware that multiple names exist for each tool, sometimes even contradictory. Other versions might include different tools.

茶筒 chá tong - tea caddy - This is not a caddy for tea leaves but for the other tools. The funnel is stacked on top of the caddy.

茶漏 chá lòu – tea funnel – Sometimes, the opening of a teapot is so small that it can be difficult to transfer all the leaves inside. The funnel is placed on top of the opening to guide the tea leaves into the pot.

茶匙 cha chi – tea spoon – This tool’s name is often used interchangeably with the tea funnel. Its shape doesn’t really resemble a spoon — I think it looks more like a slightly wavy popsicle stick. It is used to transfer tea leaves from the display tray into the teapot or gaiwan. Another name for it is 茶拨 chá bō, which I find more accurate. 拨 bō means to push something with a stick.

茶针 chá zhen – tea needle – This is not a pu'er knife, but a pointy pick with a flat, rounded end on the other side. The pointy end is used to unclog the spout of the teapot, especially for teapots without a built-in filter. The rounded end can scoop out used tea leaves from inside the teapot.

茶则 cha ze – tea scoop – The scoop is used to retrieve tea leaves from its container. To add to the nomenclature jungle, 茶则 chá zé can also refer to a larger scoop or rounded tray made from bamboo, metal, jade, or other materials that doubles as a tea display.

茶夹 cha jia – tea tongs – The tongs are used to grab the rim of small teacups to transfer them, especially during the rinsing process.

A postcard full of tea culture.

Mixing and matching with my other prints is possible.

A6 format (148mm x 105mm). Printed sustainably on 100% recycled paper (350 g/m²).

According to § 19 UStG no VAT is charged.