Yuyuan Garden

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Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai is located in the northeastern part of the Yuyuan Tourist Business District. It is adjacent to the Shanghai Chenghuang Temple and the Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mall. It is a well - known classical garden in the south of the Yangtze River and a famous scenic spot at home and abroad. In 1982, it was approved by the State Council as a "Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level". Yuyuan Garden was first built during the Jiajing and Wanli reigns of the Ming Dynasty, and it has a history of more than 450 years. The garden's owner, Pan Yunduan, once served as the Chief Administrator of Sichuan. In order to let his father enjoy his later years in peace, starting from the Jihai year of the Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty (1559), Pan Yunduan began to build the garden on his family's vegetable fields by piling up rocks, digging pools, constructing pavilions and planting bamboos. After more than 20 years of painstaking management, Yuyuan Garden was finally completed. The Chinese character "豫" means "peace" and "tranquility", and naming the garden "Yuyuan" implies "bringing joy to the elderly". When Yuyuan Garden was first built, it covered an area of more than 70 mu. It was carefully designed by Zhang Nanyang, a famous garden - designer in the Ming Dynasty, who also participated in the construction. The whole garden was grand in scale and beautiful in scenery. Currently, Yuyuan Garden covers an area of 2 hectares. With scattered pavilions and towers, craggy rocks and lush trees, it is characterized by its secluded beauty and exquisite layout, with the feature of making a small space appear large, reflecting the architectural art style of the Jiangnan gardens in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Inside Yuyuan Garden, historical sites such as the "Library", the birthplace of "Shanghai - style calligraphy and painting", and the "Dianchun Hall", the headquarters of the Shanghai Small Swords Society Uprising, are still preserved. Ancient people through the ages have praised Yuyuan Garden as "the most magnificent and beautiful in the southeast" and "the top garden in the southeast". Many domestic and foreign political leaders and celebrities have visited Yuyuan Garden, making it a rare cultural card for Shanghai.

1. Why Yu Garden Shanghai is Unmissable

A living museum of Ming Dynasty elegance where nature and philosophy dance in harmony. Step into a 400-year-old sanctuary where every rockery, pavilion, and koi pond whispers Confucian balance and Taoist tranquility. Unlike manicured European gardens, Yu Garden invites you to decode its poetic symbolism – like the dragon-walled corridor guarding prosperity or the zigzag bridges thwarting evil spirits. You’ll taste history in bite-sized dim sum and see Shanghai’s soul glowing under lantern light.

2. Decoding the Garden’s Secrets

a. Metaphysical Poetry in Stone and Water

Chinese gardens are philosophy in 3D; Western gardens are geometry class. The Exquisite Jade Rock isn’t just a limestone oddity – its 72 holes represent the layers of Daoist heavens, contrasting Versailles’ symmetrical parterres. The Nine-Bend Bridge forces you to slow down, reflecting the Confucian ideal of deliberate living, while Renaissance fountains shout human dominance over nature.

b. Architectural Tales Carved in Teak

The Huxinting Teahouse floating on the pond was where 19th-century silk merchants sealed deals – its hexagonal shape wards off ghosts. Look for hidden carvings: bats (good fortune) and peaches (immortality) crowd roof beams, a silent rebellion against Qing Dynasty austerity rules.

3. Smart Exploration Routes

a. Layout & Timing

2.5-hour clockwise loop: Start at the Grand Rockery (south entrance) → Wander zigzag bridges → Huxinting Teahouse → Exquisite Jade Rock → Inner Garden. Morning (8-10am) avoids 70% of crowds.

b. Visitors’ Favorites

① Huxinting Teahouse

Why: Sip tea where Queen Elizabeth II did in 1986.

The "floating" 16th-century pavilion offers golden koi selfies. Pro tip: Buy tea tickets (¥50) at 3pm – staff perform pour rituals.

② Nine-Bend Bridge

Why: Instagram’s most photographed zigzags.

Each turn hides a folklore scene – spot the stone lion spitting moon reflections. Go at sunset when LED strips outline the curves.

c. Night Magic (Winter 17:00-19:00)

Follow the blue hour glow:

Rain Tower’s Mirror Pool – Shoot upside-down lanterns with a phone 10cm above water.
Bamboo Sound Hall – Stand where LEDs project calligraphy onto your body.

d. Photo Hacks

Dragon Wall close-ups: Use portrait mode at the third dragon’s head (near Inner Garden) for scales that glitter like coins. Crowd-free angles: Photograph rockeries through moon gates – natural frames filter out people.

4. Beyond Sightseeing

a. Current Exhibits

Check rotating displays like Ming Dynasty Scholar Objects at [https://www.yugarden.com.cn/page/articleView/index.html]

b. Be the Scholar

Calligraphy mornings (Tue/Thu 9am): Grind ink and copy garden poems in the Tinglu Tower. Book via Klook for ¥120.

5. Taste Time Travel

Crack the code of Yu Bazaar bites:

Real Nanxiang Dumplings climb to 2nd floor – the ground-level stall sells frozen fakes.
Pork Fat Glutinous Balls at Ningbo Tangtuan Shop: Chefs still knead dough in 1940s wooden tubs.
Ancient Vegan Buns at Songyuelou: Their 108-year-old yeast starter gives fluffiness no modern baker can replicate.

6. Pro Tips

a. Tickets

Skip lines: Buy “Yu Garden + Chenghuang Temple” e-tickets on Klook ([klook.com/yugarden] – 30% cheaper than gate prices.

b. Survival Kit

Wear slip-ons – you’ll remove shoes for teahouse seating.

c. Crowd Hacks

Exit symbols: Follow pebble mosaics – coin patterns mean “wealth ahead” (exit near Starbucks). Quiet alternative: Duck into nearby Chuixia Pavilion (free entry) when crowds peak.

7. Beyond the Garden

Half-day combo: Yu Garden → 10-min walk to Bund → Evening Huangpu cruise. Souvenir smart: Buy silk-bound notebooks at Shanghai Old Street (avoid plastic “jade” trinkets).

8. FAQs

a. Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm (summer); 8am-5pm (winter).

b. English audio guides: ¥40 deposit at west gate.

c. Wheelchair access: 80% routes paved; avoid rockery areas.

d. Disneyland shuttle: Metro Line 10 to Hongqiao → Transfer to Line 11 (90 mins total).

9. Final Wisdom

Let Yu Garden’s moon gates reframe your view – of Shanghai, of history, and perhaps yourself. As lanterns flicker on, you’ll realize this isn’t just a garden… it’s China’s soul in miniature.