Two pot experiments with a completely random design and 4 replications were performed in a greenhouse to examine the response difference of 17 cultivars of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) grown in a Cu-spiked and a clean soil to Cu.relatively tolerant. When the 17 cultivars of pakchoi grew in clean garden soil, the Cu concentrations in the aboveground part were positively correlated (r = 0.6693) with their root Cu concentrations. However, when they grew in the Cu-spiked soil a highly negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.5376) was obtained in the Cu concentration between the aboveground part and the root. This meant that the Cu tolerant cultivars had a weak ability to transfer Cu from their root to their aboveground part, and therefore stored much more Cu in their root than the Cu sensitive cultivars.