Yu Garden – Shanghai
China Sane Mind

Yu Garden – Shanghai

Undoubtedly, the Yu Garden or Yuyuan Garden is one of the most beautiful and most important of all historic sites that you can see in Shanghai. It’s located in the central Huangpu district. The whole area surrounding the garden is very popular and also very busy. There are many markets, shops and restaurants. But, the focal point is this magical garden.

I visited the Yu Garden for the first time in 2009. That was also the first time that I went to China and to Shanghai. By the time of my second visit in 2016, I had almost completely forgotten how beautiful it was. I was very happy to go back, revive my memories and enjoy in its beauty once again.

 

Huxingting teahouse - Shanghai
Huxingting Teahouse – outside the main garden entrance

 

Pan Yunduan – the Ming dynasty government officer –  started the construction of the garden in 1559 and completed it in 1577. Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying. Pan built this garden for his parents, to enjoy tranquil and happy times in their old age.

 

Bridge and pavilion
Yu Garden

 

Designed in the famous Suzhou style, the garden was the largest and most prestigious of its era in Shanghai.

It went through many changes in 400 years of its existence. With the decline of the Pan’s family during the late Ming Dynasty, the garden became very dilapidated.

 

Garden pavillion
Yu Garden

 

Some rich merchants bought it in 1760 and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. The garden was severely damaged during the First Opium War of the 19th century.

 

Garden pavillion
Yu Garden

 

During the Taiping Rebellion, the Small Swords Society had its headquarters in one of the halls within the garden. By the time the Qing Dynasty troops recovered the garden, the rebels had nearly destroyed all original structures.

 

Garden hall
Yu Garden

 

The Japanese inflicted further damage to the garden in 1942.

 

Garden pavillion
Yu Garden

 

The garden that we can see now is a result of the five-year restoration project that started in 1956. The ga was finally open to the public in September 1961 and declared the national monument in 1982.

Yu Garden  is not very big, especially if compared with very famous Chinese gardens in Suzhou. Regardless, it contains a lot of exquisite structures, pavilions and other details. One of them is the magnificent Dragon Wall, with skilfully crafted dragons that keep an eye on the garden as its permanent guardians.

 

A dragon guards the garden in Shanghai
Dragon Wall

 

A true treasure of the Yu Garden is the Jade Rock. The rock is 3.3 m high and it has 72 holes. What’s interesting is that, if you burn a joss stick below the rock, the smoke magically floats out from all holes in the rock.

Similarly, when you pour water into the rock from the top, it comes out from each hole. It creates a spectacular image. Pan Yunduan was very fond of the Jade Rock. He built the Yuhua Hall directly opposite the rock, where he used to sit and admire it.

 

Jade Rock
The Exquisite Jade Rock

 

If you are in Shanghai, I strongly suggest that you visit this garden. It’s not very big and it takes approximately two hours to see everything properly.

Of course, you can spend more time there and enjoy in its tranquillity. It’s in a very vibrant area but, while you are in the garden, you would never tell that you are actually in a very busy part of Shanghai.

 

Yu Garden Shanghai
Yu Garden

 

Like every other beautiful historic site in the world, this garden is also a very busy tourist attraction. Thus, the best time to visit is in the morning, immediately after it opens. Hopefully, there will be fewer people at that time and you will be able to walk around and see everything in relative peace.

 

Yu Garden Shanghai
Yu Garden

 

Make sure that you visit all pavilions and halls, because in most of them you can also see some beautiful furniture.

 

Yu Garden Shanghai
Yu Garden

 

One other good thing about the garden is that there is a very big market in its vicinity, with many places where you can eat and have a drink. There are also numerous shops selling all kinds of souvenirs and other things. You can easily spend several hours wandering around.

 

Market - Shanghai
Market

 

To get there, take the metro line number 10. The stop where you need to get off is Yuyuan Garden. It takes approximately 10 minutes to reach the garden’s main entrance from the metro station. The walk is very interesting and you will see a lot of shops selling the most unimaginable things.

 

 

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