Culture · Tea · Green tea (绿茶)
Longjing (Dragon Well)
龙井茶 · Lóngjǐng Chá. China's most celebrated green tea — flat, jade-green leaves pan-fired in a wok to produce a clean, chestnut-sweet liquor.
About this tea
Longjing has been produced in the hills around Hangzhou's West Lake for over a thousand years. The name translates literally as Dragon Well, after a freshwater spring near the Shifeng (Lion Peak) production area. Imperial tribute status under the Qing — Emperor Qianlong is said to have visited the Hu Gong temple tea garden in 1762 and designated eighteen plants as imperial — established a prestige that endures today.
The defining characteristic of Longjing is its processing. Freshly picked leaves are spread to wilt for several hours, then hand-pressed and rotated in a hot iron wok in a sequence of movements — spreading, shaking, pressing — that simultaneously dries, flattens, and seals the leaf. The result is a sword-shaped flat leaf with a dry, slightly rough texture and a pale jade-green colour.
In the cup, authentic Shifeng Longjing produces a pale yellow-green liquor with a lingering sweetness, faint roasted-chestnut aroma, and a clean, dry finish. The quality falls sharply below the "West Lake Longjing" protected-origin designation; teas sold as "Longjing" from Shandong or Henan are much cheaper but lack the mineral complexity of the original.
How to brew
Water at 75–80 °C. 3 g leaf per 150 ml. First steep 60 seconds; subsequent steeps 30–45 seconds. Good for 3–4 infusions. Use a glass cup or gaiwan to appreciate the leaf unfurling.
Where to buy
- Longjing village tea farms and cooperatives, Hangzhou (taste before buying)
- Wuyu Teahouse, Hangzhou — vetted small-producer Shifeng grade
- Mingqian Longjing shops along Nanshan Road, West Lake
- Reputable online shops: Yunnan Sourcing, Tea Urchin (ship internationally)