Yu Yuan Garden - Shanghai

Yu Yuan Garden

Shanghai’s Yu Yuan Garden, which traces its roots back to the Ming Dynasty during the mid 1500’s, is one of the largest and most elegant gardens in Shanghai.  During its long history it has been owned by numerous influential families and has since become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.

Conveniently located in Shanghai’s Old City (next to the City God temple), Yu Yuan Garden offers a nice, peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowded Shanghai streets. I’ve been to Shanghai twice before moving here and it was only until after I moved here that I had a chance to actually visit the garden. I can say it is definitely worth scheduling some time to visit this beautiful landmark.

One of the many ponds in Yu Yuan

Yu Yuan Garden

One thing that really impressed me was just how remarkable it has been preserved despite being around for hundreds of years. There are so many beautiful ponds and old rustic Chinese buildings. Pan Yunduan first conceived the idea for the garden to serve as a peaceful place for his aging father to spend the remainder of his days. One cannot help but notice the attention to detail and the seeming care and thought that went into its design.  I would love to have a garden like this of my own!

The garden compound is much bigger than I had originally imagined, spanning a total area of roughly 5 acres.  The small portion of it that is visible from outside the main walls is quite deceptive. The garden weaves in and out of various corridors and pushes quite far back into the Old City area.  I definitely recommending setting aside at least 2 hours so you don’t feel like you need to rush through it.

Intricate dragon sculpture

As you wind through the various corridors you are treated to a variety of different shaped widows and loads of intricately detailed sculptures that adorn the walls and rooftops of the buildings.  Some of the walls have incredibly large and detailed dragon heads (the curvy shaped walls that separate the different sections resemble a dragon’s body) that converge at some of the larger entryways.

If you are a fan of gardens or traditional Chinese architecture you must visit this place. Well worth the entrance fee! I also recommend visiting the famous HuXingTing Tea House (located near the main entrance of the garden) after visiting the garden for a delicious cup of tea and a nice view before heading out for your next adventure.

HuXingTing Tea House

How to get there:

Cab – Tell the driver to take you to Yu Yuan (豫园in Chinese). He should drop you off somewhere on the southern side of Old City. Just head into the Old City and look for the iconic HuXingTing Tea House (pictured below) and the entrance is located on the north side.

Subway – Take line 10 and get off on the Yu Yuan (豫园in Chinese) stop.  Head towards Old City and the entrance to the garden is near the HuXingTing Tea House.

Cost of admission: 30-40 RMB per ticket (depending on the season)

Hours of Operation: Daily from 8:30am until 5:30pm (last tickets sold at 5pm)

Have you been to Yu Yuan before? If so tell us about it in the comments below!