本文描述團系在中國大陸黨政群系統的分布現況，同時解釋近年來團系的崛起。研究對象是約200位曾任（或現任）共青團領導職務，現為副省部級以上的高級幹部，人資更新時間至2006年10月初中共省級黨委換屆改選之前為止。本文認為團系崛起是受到派系考量與共青團幹部輸送的組織任務的共同影響。共青團具有輸送優秀幹部到各黨政機關、群眾團體的組織任務，還可以在各地吸納不同背景、類型的年輕幹部進入共青團任職，成為團系關係網絡的成員。這種以全國為範圍的幹部輸送與吸納特徵，都是傳統派系沒有的優勢。無論領導人是否是團系出身，都會想利用是項資源，鞏固權力基礎。因此，團系的政壇影響力還會持續下去，不會隨著領導人更替而消失。

This paper first surveys the distribution of cadres of the Communist Youth League (CYL) in the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government, and traces their rise to power. The subject of this study includes 200 CYL leaders, former and present, who now serve as vice-ministers or vice secretaries of provincial party committees. The cutoff time is early October 2006, when the CPC provincial party secretaries underwent a reshuffle. This paper believes that the rise of this CYL faction results from factional politics and the organization’s mission of grooming cadres for the party and the government. The CYL’s mission is both to provide talented cadres to the party, government, and civil organizations and to recruit youth of different backgrounds and specialties to serve in the CYL. CYL thus becomes a talent pool and a network, giving rise to a so-called Tuanpai (League Faction). As a national network and a recruitment pool for the preparation for future political leaders, Tuanpai has advant ages over other more traditional factions. Chinese leaders, with or without a CYL background, must take into account this national network to solidify their power base. Consequently, the political influence of this faction will continue in the future, irrespective of changes in leadership.