Abstract: Aim\ To investigate the association between variants of the angiotensinogen（AGT） gene and essential hypertension in a Chinese population.\ Methods\ A 104 bp DNA fragment of AGT gene was created by polymerase chain reaction（PCR） in the study of 112 healthy subjects and 131 essential hypertension and then digestion with MspI.\ Results\ The genotype CC was more closely associated with hypertension and the frequency of deletion alleles was higher（065） in the hypertension than normotensive subjects（055）（P=0032）.\ Conclusion\ These data provide evidence in favour of and association between hypertension and a genetic variant of in human EHT, and a marked ethnic difference in the AGT gene.