Lack of association between polymorphisms of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFB1) gene and essential hypertension in the Chinese population. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFB1) gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with hypertension, but the results are inconsistent. We examined the association of three polymorphisms (rs1800469, rs1982073, and rs1800471) in the TGFB1 gene with hypertension using a case-control study, involving 1,128 essential hypertensive patients and 579 normal controls of the Chinese Han population. The genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Haplotype and tag SNP (tSNP) analyses of the TGFB1 gene polymorphisms were performed. Although there was no significant association between genotypes of TGFB1 polymorphisms and hypertension, there was a significant relationship between the haplotype combinations and the risk of hypertension. The AAC haplotype in the C-509T-A-10A-G SNP loci was associated with a significantly increased risk of hypertension. Haplotype analysis showed the AAC haplotype increased the risk of hypertension 1.61-fold. C-509T-A-10A-G (rs1800469-rs1982073-rs1800471) polymorphism in the TGFB1 gene is a significant risk factor for hypertension, and the C-509T-A-10A-G haplotype is an independent marker of risk for hypertension. The rs1800469 and rs1982073 polymorphisms are in complete linkage disequilibrium.