🇨🇳Yu Yuan - the heart of old Shanghai
Yu Yuan Garden
📍 Address
English: Shanghai, Huangpu District, Anren Street 218
Chinese: 上海市黄浦区安仁街218号
📖 A History Spanning Nearly 500 Years
The garden's history begins in 1559, during the Ming Dynasty. It was created by a wealthy official, Pan Yunduan, who decided to build a place for his elderly parents where they could relax, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The name "Yu Yuan" (豫园) translates as "Garden of Joy" or "Garden of Serenity." This name alone reflects the core idea of a traditional Chinese garden—to create a space where people can find inner harmony.
The construction took almost 20 years, and the cost was so high that the family was almost ruined. However, the result exceeded expectations: Yu Yuan has become one of the most beautiful private gardens in China.
Over its long history, the garden has endured much. During the Opium Wars of the 19th century, troops were stationed here, and later, some of the buildings were damaged during the Taiping Rebellion. Then came years of neglect, restoration, and reconstruction. Today, the garden looks almost exactly as it was intended almost five centuries ago.
Yu Yuan is more than just a beautiful park. It is a veritable textbook of Chinese philosophy, embodied in stone, water, and trees.
Each bridge here is deliberately curved because, according to ancient belief, evil spirits can only move in a straight line.
Each pavilion is positioned to offer a new view. Just take a few steps, and a completely different picture awaits you.
That's why the saying goes, "In a garden, you don't need to look for beautiful views—they find you."
🔝Most Interesting Places
🐉 Nine Dragon Wall
One of the garden's most famous landmarks.
According to Chinese tradition, the dragon is considered a symbol of imperial power, strength, wisdom, and prosperity.
The wall depicts nine dragons, each with a distinct facial expression, posture, and character. They are believed to guard the garden and bring good luck to its visitors.
🪨 Great Rockery
The garden's most impressive composition.
It reaches 14 meters in height and was created by the renowned Ming Dynasty master Zhang Nanyang.
From the top, one of the best views of the entire garden opens.
Interestingly, the stones were arranged to look as natural as possible, as if they were created by nature itself.
🐟 Koi Ponds
Hundreds of bright red, gold, and white carp can be seen in almost every pond. In China, carp are considered a symbol of good luck, wealth, and perseverance.
Many visitors buy food specifically to feed the fish—it's believed to bring prosperity.
🌉 Zigzag Bridge
One of the symbols of Yu Yuan.
Besides the beautiful photographs, the bridge has symbolic significance.
According to ancient belief, evil spirits can only move in a straight line, so the winding bridge protects the temple grounds and pavilions.
🌸 Pavilions
The grounds contain more than 40 historical pavilions, each with its own name and purpose.
They are especially beautiful in spring, when magnolias, peonies, and azaleas bloom.
✔️Interesting Facts
✨ The garden contains over 30 different architectural features.
✨ The grounds are home to several thousand ornamental plants.
✨ Almost every stone here is placed for a reason. In Chinese culture, stones are believed to symbolize mountains—the place where immortals live.
✨ Many scenes from Chinese films and historical dramas were filmed here.
✨ Despite the huge number of tourists, quiet corners can still be found deep within the garden, where only the sound of trickling water can be heard.
🏮 Yuyuan Bazaar
Immediately beyond the garden walls begins one of Shanghai's most beautiful areas.
Here you'll find:
· traditional Chinese teahouses;
· dozens of souvenir shops;
· street food;
· stalls selling Chinese sweets;
· silk, porcelain, and fan shops.
The area is especially beautiful in the evening, when thousands of red lanterns are lit.
How much time should I allow?
The garden itself takes 1.5–2 hours.
If you want to leisurely stroll through the old quarter, sample local cuisine, and explore teahouses and shops, plan on 3-4 hours.
Cost
🎫 Garden entrance:
· High season – about 40 yuan;
· Low season – about 30 yuan.
A stroll through the Yuyuan Quarter is free.
It may seem like you're surrounded by one of the most modern cities in the world, but once you step through the ancient gates, it's as if time has stepped back. It doesn't feel like you're simply sightseeing. Instead, you want to walk slowly, stopping at each pond, examining the quaint stones, watching the carp, and finding new angles for photos.
My advice: come either right before opening or after 4:00 PM. There are fewer tourists, the light is softer, and the atmosphere is truly magical. Be sure to linger until evening in the Yuyuan Old Town: when hundreds of red lanterns are lit, this place becomes one of Shanghai's most beautiful locations.
Yu Yuan Garden
📍 Address
English: Shanghai, Huangpu District, Anren Street 218
Chinese: 上海市黄浦区安仁街218号
📖 A History Spanning Nearly 500 Years
The garden's history dates back to 1559, during the Ming Dynasty. It was founded by the wealthy official Pan Yunduan, who wanted to create a quiet retreat for his elderly parents where they could enjoy peace and quiet away from the bustle of the city.
The name "Yu Yuan" (豫园) translates as "Garden of Joy" or "Garden of Serenity." The name alone captures the essence of traditional Chinese gardening—to create a space where people can find inner harmony.
Construction lasted nearly 20 years, and the costs were so high that the family nearly went bankrupt. But the result exceeded all expectations: Yu Yuan has become one of the most exquisite private gardens in China.
Over its long life, the garden has seen much. During the Opium Wars of the 19th century, foreign troops were stationed here, and later, some of the buildings were damaged during the Taiping Rebellion. Periods of decline were followed by extensive restorations. And today, the garden looks virtually identical to its original design five centuries ago.
Yu Yuan is more than just a picturesque park. It is a veritable textbook of Chinese philosophy, embodied in stone, water, and greenery.
Each bridge here is intentionally zigzagged, as according to ancient beliefs, evil spirits can only move in a straight line.
Each pavilion is positioned to reveal a completely new landscape. Just a few steps away, and a different scene unfolds before you.
That's why they say, "In a garden, you don't need to look for beautiful views—they find you."
🔝Most Interesting Places
🐉 Nine Dragon Wall
One of the garden's main calling cards.
In Chinese tradition, the dragon is considered a symbol of imperial power, strength, wisdom, and prosperity.
The wall depicts nine dragons, each with a unique facial expression, posture, and character. They are believed to vigilantly guard the garden and bring good luck to all visitors.
🪨 Great Rockery
The park's most grandiose composition.
It reaches 14 meters in height and was created by the renowned Ming dynasty master Zhang Nanyang.
From the top, one of the best panoramic views of the garden opens. Interestingly, the stones are laid so skillfully that they seem like a completely natural creation.
🐟 Koi Ponds
Hundreds of bright red, golden, and white carp splash in almost every pond.
In China, carp symbolize good luck, wealth, and perseverance.
Many tourists specifically buy food to feed the fish—it's believed this brings prosperity.
🌉 Zigzag Bridge
One of the iconic symbols of Yu Yuan.
Besides the beautiful photographs, the bridge also has a deep sacred meaning.
As mentioned earlier, evil spirits can only move in a straight line, so the winding path reliably protects the temple grounds and pavilions.
🌸 Pavilions
The grounds are home to over 40 historical pavilions, each with its own poetic name and purpose. They are especially beautiful in spring, when the park is awash in magnolias, peonies, and azaleas.
✔️Interesting Facts
✨ The garden boasts over 30 different architectural features.
✨ Thousands of ornamental plants are found throughout the grounds.
✨ Almost every stone is placed here for a reason. In Chinese culture, stones are believed to represent mountains—the abode of immortals.
✨ Many scenes from historical films and Chinese dramas have been filmed here.
✨ Despite the crowds of tourists, secluded corners can still be found deep within the park, where only the soothing murmur of water can be heard.
🏮 Yuyuan Bazaar
Immediately beyond the garden walls begins one of Shanghai's most colorful districts.
Here you'll find:
· traditional Chinese teahouses;
· dozens of souvenir shops; * Delicious street food;
· Stalls selling traditional Chinese sweets;
· Boutiques selling silk, fine porcelain, and fans.
The area looks especially magical at dusk, when thousands of red lanterns light up.
How much time should I allow?
A leisurely stroll through the garden itself takes 1.5–2 hours.
If you want to leisurely wander through the old quarter, sample local cuisine, visit teahouses, and buy souvenirs, plan on 3–4 hours.
Cost
🎫 Garden entrance:
· High season – about 40 yuan;
· Low season – about 30 yuan.
A stroll through the colorful Yuyuan Quarter is completely free.
You might feel like you're in the heart of one of the world's most ultra-modern megacities, but stepping through the ancient gates feels like time has turned back. It doesn't feel like you're simply checking in at yet another landmark. Instead, you'll want to slow down, stand by the ponds, admire the intricate stone patterns, watch the carp dance, and find new photo angles.
My advice: come either right before opening or after 4:00 PM. There are fewer tourists, the light is softer, and the atmosphere is truly magical. And be sure to wait until evening in Yuyuan Old Town: when hundreds of red lanterns are lit, this place becomes one of the most atmospheric and photogenic locations in all of Shanghai.
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