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Yu Garden

A Downtown Escape

Yu Garden is the most prestigious classical Chinese garden in Shanghai. The whole garden can be divided into six relatively independent areas: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner garden. There are also special landscapes inside and outside the garden, such as Exquisite Jade Rock, Dragon Walls, Mid-Lake Pavilion and the Zigzag Bridge.

Yu Garden 豫园, built in 1559, was originally a private garden. The owner, Pan Yunduan, named it with the word ‘Yu’ for the meaning ‘ease and happiness’.

Yu Garden can be subdivided into six different areas according to its space and scenery, which are: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner garden. These six areas are relatively independent, either enclosed by internal walls or divided by water corridors, so that when you walk between the scenic spots, it is like stepping into another world just a few steps away. The wall, also known as the Dragon Wall, is decorated with Huge Dragon Patterns. If you look closely, you can also find different shapes such as Two Dragons Chasing a Pearl, Dragon through the Clouds, Sleeping Dragon, Reclining Dragon, etc., which is another characteristic of Yu Garden.

Manywhere Tips:
The Chinese character Yu (豫) is also short for the Henan Province of China.

The Yu Garden is very meticulous in its overall layout and does not compromise on the details. The large rockery in the northern part of Sansui Hall scenic area is built with thousands of tons of Wukang yellow stone, which is both elegant and majestic. The walls of the compound corridor of Wanhua Chamber scenic area are decorated with hollowed-out flower windows, which provide a completely different view when standing on both sides of the walls. The Exquisite Jade Rock 玉玲珑 is a relic of Huashigang in the time of Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty, it is delicate and graceful, and is known as one of the Three Famous Stones in South China. The Ancient Stage inside the Inner Garden scenic area is exquisitely carved. The lions, phoenixes, and figures carved on the stage are all covered with gold leaf, and some people call it “The Number One Ancient Stage in South China”. Not to mention the iconic Mid-Lake Pavilion and the Zigzag Bridge, which have become the symbol of the city and the most prosperous and lively place in Shanghai.