7是普洱茶的密码？探寻七子饼茶背后的奥秘
1. 为何要制成紧压茶 | 1. Why Compressed Tea?
最初主要是为了便于运输。茶马古道艰险，茶叶外销依赖人力和畜力，一匹马运输散茶的重量为50公斤，改制成紧茶后可增加到70公斤，运输量提高了40%，运费降低了40%。紧压茶便于存放和销售，也形成了普洱茶越陈越香的重要条件。
Primarily for transportation convenience. The ancient Tea-Horse Road was treacherous, relying on human and animal power. A horse could carry 50kg of loose tea, but 70kg when compressed - increasing transport capacity by 40% while reducing costs by 40%. Compressed tea also facilitates storage and sales, creating ideal conditions for Pu'er's characteristic aging process.
2. 为何是七个饼 | 2. Why Seven Cakes?
"七"在中国文化中是一个吉祥的数字，代表多子多福。清朝雍正年间，云南的藏销茶被定为七子茶，每圆重7两，7圆为一筒，32筒为一引。这种计量方式既便于计算，也符合当时的市场需求和税收规定。
"Seven" is an auspicious number in Chinese culture, symbolizing prosperity. During Emperor Yongzheng's reign (1723-1735), Yunnan's Tibet-bound tea was standardized as "Seven Sons Tea" - each disc weighing 7 taels, 7 discs forming a tube, and 32 tubes making a "yin". This measurement system facilitated calculation while meeting market demands and tax regulations.
3. 圆改饼的时间 | 3. From Disc to Cake
上个世纪70年代初，云南茶叶进出口公司为了寻找更具号召力和宣传推广力的名称，将"圆"改为"饼"，形成了"七子饼茶"这一吉祥名称。
In the early 1970s, Yunnan Tea Import & Export Corporation changed the term from "disc" to "cake" to create the more appealing and marketable name "Seven Sons Tea Cake".
4. 每个饼为何是357克 | 4. The 357g Standard
中国土产畜产进出口公司为了配合每件30kg的普洱茶出口，按照国际惯例，每件包装为一打12筒，每筒7饼。通过计算得出，每饼约为357克，既能满足包装要求，又与传统习惯相符合。这个标准一直沿用至今，每件的筒数则根据市场需求灵活调整，有6筒一件、12筒一件、4筒一件等多种规格。
To standardize 30kg export packages, China National Native Produce & Animal By-products Import & Export Corporation adopted international conventions: 12 tubes (dozen) per package, 7 cakes per tube. Calculations determined 357g per cake would meet packaging requirements while honoring tradition. This standard persists today, with package configurations flexibly adjusted to market demands (6/12/4 tubes per package).
