Gong Dao Bei is also called Cha Hai, which means “the ocean of tea.”
Gong Dao Bei is a must in the Gongfu Cha ceremony. On a tea table, it is the only tool connecting the host and guests and the host uses the pitcher to show good manners. An old Chinese saying has it that “a full cup of liquor shows respect for your guest, but a full cup of tea intimates your guest,” so the host typically uses the Gong Dao Bei to fill the teacup up to just 70%. When pouring, it is polite to hold the Gong Dao Bei lower and closer to guests’ teacups.
The product itself is so exquisite that I do not want to take a single star off. However, must state with great sadness that stamping with thick black ink a company name on the outside bottom of such a fine mutton fat porcelain item, as is customary with basic ceramics from discount stores, is an astonishingly insensitive insult, in my eyes at least. Perhaps it could be reconsidered and corrected in the future.