West Lake Longjing: origin, flavour and brewing

Lu Yu’s Tang-era Classic of Tea mentions tea from the Qiantang area around Tianzhu and Lingyin. Accounts of the Tang and Song periods also name Baiyun, Xianglin and Baoyun teas in the hills now associated with Tianzhu, Lingyin and Geling. Those records establish a local tea tradition; the teas did not all carry today’s name or use today’s making methods.

By the middle and later Ming, records and poems link the name Longjing more clearly with the place. A 1547 West Lake account mentions tea growing by the old Dragon Well. Later descriptions use the name for tea made in the surrounding hills, while several earlier local names fell out of common use.

The story of the Qing emperor Qianlong’s southern journeys is part of the history people tell about Longjing. Local tradition connects his visits around West Lake with poems on the Eight Views of Longjing and with a group of eighteen tea bushes honoured as imperial tea. The tale is part of Hangzhou’s tea culture.

These historical names describe places and memories. A tea sold now should be assessed by the origin and lot stated for that pack, followed by what the leaf and cup actually show.

Older trade names distinguish different hills around West Lake. Lion means Shifeng; Dragon refers to Longjing; Cloud points to Yunqi and nearby hills; Tiger refers to Hupao; Plum means Meijiawu. Accounts of the late Qing and early Republican period often begin with four names, with Meijiawu later distinguished from the Yunqi group.

Today, it is also useful to distinguish the broader West Lake, Qiantang and Yuezhou growing areas. They can all make flat Longjing-style tea; only tea from the specified West Lake origin can use that origin name. Ask for the named growing area as well as the tea type.

The traditional seed-grown population, often called Quntizhong, contains plants that are not all identical. It is generally compared with Longjing 43, an early-budding selection developed from local material, and Longjing Changye, literally Long Leaf. Cultivar and picking date together influence appearance and flavour.

Wuniuzao is another Zhejiang cultivar that can be made into a flat green tea. Its shape can resemble Longjing at a glance. A familiar shape, an early picking date or a cultivar name alone does not prove that a tea comes from West Lake.

Picking references compare how buds and leaves are developed, from a fine bud with a barely opened leaf to a bud with one or two developed leaves. Use the diagram to understand what is being sorted, then check the actual product’s grade and picking information. Tea leaves are pressed and shaped during pan-firing to produce the characteristic flat outline.

The dry leaf can look yellow-green or beige-green as well as more distinctly green. A clear, pale cup, fragrance reminiscent of tender beans, flowers or chestnuts, and a fresh, mellow sweetness are useful references. Watch how the leaves open in a glass and compare the cup after it has cooled slightly. No one colour or scent identifies the origin.

The origin labels pictured in the guide show examples used by tea enterprises and growers. Check the product’s stated growing area, producer and lot, and compare the label with current guidance for that pack. Qiantang and Yuezhou are distinct origins that are worth comparing on their own terms.

Try a small amount in a clear glass with water around 80–85°C. Add some water, put in the leaves and top up, or add leaves after the water for a delicate lot. Taste after a short first infusion and refill while there is flavour. Keep the leaves sealed, dry and away from light and strong smells after opening.