Attraction
The Bund
Shanghai's colonial-era waterfront, a 1.6-kilometre line of 52 banks, hotels and trading houses facing the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu River.
Yu Garden
A Ming-dynasty private garden of rockeries, ponds and halls in Shanghai's Old City, begun in 1559 and set beside the Huxinting Teahouse and Yuyuan Bazaar.
At a glance
- Type
- Classical Chinese garden
- Area
- Old City, Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Good to know
- Paid entry
- Huxinting Teahouse
- Seasonal night tour
- Yuyuan Bazaar next door
Why we recommend it
Yu Garden, also known as Yuyuan, is a classical Jiangnan garden in the north-east of Shanghai's Old City, next to the City God Temple. Pan Yunduan began it in 1559 for his father, the Ming minister Pan En, and the name means something close to "pleasing one's parents". Work stalled and resumed in 1577. The garden was damaged during the First Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion and again in 1942, then restored and reopened to the public in 1961. It has been protected as a national monument since 1982.
The garden covers about two hectares and is divided into more than 40 scenic spots, each built around rocks, water and pavilions. The Great Rockery in the Sansui Hall area rises about 12 metres in yellow stone and may be the work of the Ming designer Zhang Nanyang. The Exquisite Jade Rock, a porous boulder some 3.3 metres high, is the garden's best-known single feature, and legend links it to a Song imperial collection. Other halls include Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall and Yuhua Hall, and the Wanhua Chamber is shaded by a ginkgo said to be around 400 years old.
Just outside, the Huxinting Teahouse sits on a pond reached by the zigzag Nine-turn Bridge. It reopened in July 2025 after almost two years of restoration and now has a tea hall on the ground floor and a storytelling stage, tea ceremony room and tea ware display upstairs. Around it, the Yuyuan Bazaar has hundreds of shops selling crafts, silk, souvenirs and snacks.
The garden suits anyone interested in Chinese design, photography or history, though it is compact and busy. Allow an hour and a half for the garden itself, more if you stop for tea. Go early on a weekday for the calmest paths. Tickets are valid only for the day of purchase, and you will need to buy again if you leave and come back. Tickets can be bought at the South Gate office on Yuyuan Old Street or through the official "Shanghai Yuyuan" WeChat account.
A seasonal night tour, launched in August 2025, adds five light shows across the garden on selected evenings with timed entry, so check the current schedule before planning an evening visit. Yuyuan Garden station on Lines 10 and 14 is the closest metro stop, and the Bund is a short walk to the north-east.
Yu Garden FAQs
When was Yu Garden built?
Pan Yunduan began the garden in 1559 during the Ming dynasty, and work resumed in 1577 after a delay.
How big is Yu Garden?
About two hectares, with more than 40 scenic spots.
Where do you buy tickets?
At the South Gate ticket office, No. 279 Yuyuan Old Street, or through the official Shanghai Yuyuan WeChat account.
Can you leave and come back on the same ticket?
No. Tickets are valid for the day of purchase only and re-entry needs a new ticket.
Is there a night visit?
Yes. A night tour with light shows runs on selected evenings with timed entry, and the days change by season.
Is the Huxinting Teahouse open?
It reopened in July 2025 after restoration, with tea service on the ground floor and a storytelling and tea ceremony area upstairs.
How do you get there by metro?
Take Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden station.
How long should you allow?
About an hour and a half for the garden, plus time for the bazaar or the teahouse.