Top 5 things to do in Shanghai : Yu Garden

12/08/2015

Yu Garden (Yu Yuan) is an extensive Chinese garden located in the northeast of the old city.

It was first conceived in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan as a comfort for his father, the minister Pan En, in his old age. Pan Yunduan began the project after failing one of the imperial exams, but his appointment as governor of Sichuan postponed construction for nearly twenty years until 1577. The garden was the largest and most prestigious of its era in Shanghai.

The gardens suffered damage numerous times during the 19th century. During the First Opium War, the British army used the Huxinting Teahouse as a base of operations for several days in 1842. During the Taiping Rebellion, the Small Swords Society ran its headquarters in the Dianchun Hall; by the time Qing troops recovered the garden, the original structures had nearly all been destroyed. They were damaged again by the Japanese in 1942 before being repaired by the Shanghai government from 1956 to 1961.

It has been opened to the public since 1961 and declared a national monument in 1982.

Yu Garden offers now an escape from the fast pace of the surrounding city. With 30 pavilions and over 5 acres, this 16th century garden can be explored for days.

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How to get there ?

It is accessible from the Shanghai Metro’s Line 10 Yuyuan Garden Station.

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Chinese Tips:

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Museum: bówùguǎn博物馆

Yu Yuan Garden: yùyuán豫园

Garden: yuán园

This place is very interesting: zhèxiē dìfāng hěnyǒu yìsi 这些地方很有意思

Walking around Yu Yuan Garden: zài yùyuán lǐmiàn yòulǎn 在豫园里面游览

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