Quntizhong

Quntizhong (群体种, literally "population variety") is the heirloom seed-grown tea stock that produced authentic West Lake Long Jing before modern cultivar selection began in the mid-20th century. Each Quntizhong tea bush is genetically slightly different — propagated from seed rather than clonal cutting — producing the genetic diversity that older West Lake plantings show. Modern Long Jing #43 and other cloned cultivars are uniform; Quntizhong plantings are heterogeneous.

The cup-quality ceiling for top Quntizhong productions is higher than for #43 — the most prestigious Shifeng Lion Peak Long Jing comes from heritage Quntizhong plantings on the protected slopes. The trade-off is lower yield, less uniform harvest timing, and more demanding cultivation. Most commercial West Lake Long Jing has been replanted to #43 over the past 50 years; remaining Quntizhong plantings represent the upper editorial tier of the category.

Teas produced

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Growing regions

• West Lake (Hangzhou)
• Zhejiang heirloom plantings