Lóngjǐng (龙井) — Dragon Well Green Tea

Lóngjǐng (龙井, "Dragon Well") is China's most famous green tea and one of its ten officially recognised famous teas. It is grown in the West Lake (西湖 Xīhú) district of Hángzhōu city, Zhèjiāng province — a narrow valley of mist-covered hills where tea cultivation has been documented since the Táng dynasty (618–907 CE). The tea takes its name from a natural spring in the Lóngjǐng village area: legend holds that the well connects to the sea, and that stirring the water reveals a dragon beneath.

TL;DR: Flat-pressed, pan-fired green from Hángzhōu's West Lake hills. Five historic villages define the Xīhú GI zone. Míng qián (before April 5) harvest is prized highest. Taste: fresh, vegetal, toasted chestnut with lingering sweet finish. Brew 75–80°C, 3–4 g per 100 ml, 20–30 s. Widely counterfeited — origin matters.

Origin and geography

Genuine Xīhú Lóngjǐng (西湖龙井) is produced within a small protected zone in the West Lake Scenic Area. Five sub-villages define the core terroir, each with a slightly different character:

Shīfēng material is the most sought-after and commands the highest prices. The pale, almost yellow-green colour of authentic Shīfēng leaf (caused by specific soil composition and shade) is a key authenticity indicator.

Outside this zone, a broader designation — Zhèjiāng Lóngjǐng (浙江龙井) — covers teas from other parts of Zhèjiāng province made in the same flat-pressed style. They may be excellent teas but are a different product.

The Lóngjǐng cultivar

Most commercial Xīhú Lóngjǐng today uses the Lóngjǐng 43 (龙井43号) cultivar — selected in the 1960s for early budding and consistent production. It buds reliably before Qīngmíng, allowing reliable míng qián harvests. The older cultivar, Qúntǐ Zhǒng (群体种, "population variety"), is a genetically diverse seed-grown population used since ancient times. Qúntǐ Zhǒng buds less predictably but produces more complex flavour — prized by purists and typically more expensive.

The harvest

The most important harvest grade is míng qián (明前, "before Qīngmíng") — leaf harvested before the Qīngmíng solar term (~April 5 each year). At this point the plant has just emerged from winter dormancy; the first tiny buds carry the highest concentration of amino acids (theanine) and the lowest catechin content. This produces the sweetest, most aromatic Lóngjǐng of the year with almost no bitterness.

Yǔ qián (雨前, "before Grain Rain") — harvested April 5–20 — is the second grade. Still excellent, with more body and slightly less delicacy.

One skilled picker can process only 500 g–1 kg of fresh leaf per day for míng qián material, which requires only a single bud or bud-and-leaf pair. It takes roughly 60,000 hand-picked shoots to produce 500 g of finished míng qián Lóngjǐng.

Pan-firing and shaping

After brief withering (1–2 hours), the leaf is pan-fired in a cast-iron wok. The characteristic flat, sword-shaped form is created entirely by hand pressing during the roast: the master applies specific hand pressures — pressing, rotating, spreading — in a sequence that simultaneously kills the enzymes (shā qīng 杀青), shapes the leaf, and develops the toasted character. The process takes 20–30 minutes per batch.

The resulting leaf should be:

• Flat and smooth, not wrinkled or broken
• Uniform pale green to yellow-green (Shīfēng: notably yellower than other origins)
• Uniformly sized within a batch — inconsistent sizing indicates lower quality

Taste profile

Lóngjǐng's defining character is a balance of fresh vegetables (raw snow peas, fresh asparagus), toasted chestnuts, and a lingering sweet finish. Well-made míng qián material has minimal bitterness and a distinctive fragrant "clean" quality — often described in Chinese tasting notes as having the "orchid valley" (幽兰 yōulán) aroma.

The Shīfēng village profile is particularly prized: a gentle honeyed sweetness that other origins lack.

Brewing

Flat-leaf technique: Do not pour out all the water between steeps. Leave 10–20% in the vessel — exposing flat Lóngjǐng leaf to air between steeps causes rapid oxidation. The residual liquid protects the leaf surface.

Transparent glass is the traditional vessel for Lóngjǐng — watching the flat leaves slowly sink to the bottom and unfurl is part of the experience. An unglazed gaiwan or porcelain bowl also works.

Authenticity and counterfeiting

Xīhú Lóngjǐng is China's most counterfeited tea. The protected GI zone covers less than 170 km² of actual tea land; genuine production is drastically insufficient to meet global demand. Most "Lóngjǐng" on the market is Zhèjiāng Lóngjǐng (acceptable) or tea from other provinces entirely (misrepresented).

How to check:

• Leaf colour: Authentic Shīfēng is notably yellow-green, not bright green. Bright artificial green may indicate added colour or a different origin.
• Texture: Flat, smooth, uniform — not broken, twisted, or varying wildly in size.
• Fragrance: Gentle, fresh, slightly toasted. Sharp synthetic notes or heavy grassy smell → suspect origin.
• GI certification: Xīhú Lóngjǐng carries a traceable GI label. Ask for it.
• Price: Genuine míng qián Xīhú Lóngjǐng cannot be cheap. If a price seems low for what is claimed, it is not what it claims to be.

Related

• Green Tea Overview — processing, brewing, and Chinese green tea context
• Chinese Tea Regions — Zhèjiāng and other producing provinces
• Ānjí Bái Chá — another famous Zhèjiāng green, very different character
• Gōngfū Brewing Guide

FAQ

What is Lóngjǐng? Lóngjǐng (龙井, "Dragon Well") is a flat-pressed, pan-fired green tea from the West Lake (西湖) hills of Hángzhōu, Zhèjiāng province. China's most famous green tea, produced within a small protected GI zone of five historic sub-villages. Defined by a fresh, vegetal, lightly toasted character with a sweet finish.

What makes Shīfēng (Lion Peak) Lóngjǐng special? Shīfēng sits at the highest elevation within the Xīhú zone, in soil with a specific mineral composition that gives the leaf a distinctive yellow-green colour and a honeyed sweetness not found in other sub-village Lóngjǐng. It is the most prized and most expensive single origin within the GI zone.

What is míng qián (明前)? "Before Qīngmíng" — the pre-festival harvest grade, picked before April 5. The first buds of the year have the highest amino acid content (responsible for sweetness and umami) and the lowest catechins (bitterness). The sweetest, most delicate Lóngjǐng of the year. Prices are 5–20× higher than post-Qīngmíng material.

What is the difference between Xīhú Lóngjǐng and Zhèjiāng Lóngjǐng? Xīhú Lóngjǐng (西湖龙井) is from the small West Lake GI zone — the original origin, five specific villages. Zhèjiāng Lóngjǐng (浙江龙井) is from other parts of Zhèjiāng province made in the same flat-pressed style — same method, different terroir, generally lower price. Most "Lóngjǐng" on the market is Zhèjiāng Lóngjǐng or not Zhèjiāng at all.

Why must Lóngjǐng be brewed at low temperature? The delicate amino acids and aromatic compounds that give Lóngjǐng its sweetness and fragrance break down rapidly above 85°C. Boiling water would destroy them and extract bitter catechins instead. The correct temperature (75–80°C) extracts sweetness while keeping bitterness minimal.