Red-pillared halls with upturned eaves around a green pond with a white statue and bridge at Yu Garden

Heritage · Huangpu District, Shanghai

Yu Garden & Old Town

Ming-dynasty classical garden and lantern-lit bazaar in Shanghai's old city (Yuyuan, 豫园)

Ambient sound · similar settingSummer cicada chorus in Chinese hill woodland

Photo: Bruna Santos (@brunafisantos) / Unsplash

Discover Yu Garden & Old Town

Step through the gates of Yu Garden and the traffic of modern Shanghai seems to fall away. Within about two hectares, a sixteenth-century official's family created a miniature world of rock hills, carp ponds, covered walkways and halls, divided by undulating walls topped with dragons.

Around the garden spreads the Yuyuan bazaar, a maze of upturned eaves, red lanterns and shops selling tea, silk, crafts and street snacks, with the City God Temple at its edge. By day it is lively and colourful; in the evening the rooftops are lit in gold and red, and the garden itself now offers a seasonal night tour of light-and-shadow installations.

Don’t miss

01The Exquisite Jade Rock, a porous boulder about 3.3 m tall and the garden's centrepiece
02Huxinting Teahouse and the zigzag Nine-turn Bridge across the pond
03The Great Rockery of yellow stone, about 12 m high, near Sansui Hall
04Dragon walls with tiled ridges dividing the garden into separate areas
05The Yuyuan bazaar and the neighbouring City God Temple

History & culture

The story of Yu Garden & Old Town

The garden was begun in 1559 by Pan Yunduan, a Ming-dynasty official, as a place for his father, the minister Pan En, to enjoy in retirement. Work stretched over almost two decades, and the garden is usually dated to 1577. After the family's fortunes declined it changed hands many times.

The nineteenth century was turbulent: in 1842, during the First Opium War, British troops used the Huxinting Teahouse area as a base for several days, and from 1853 to 1855 the Small Swords Society made Dianchun Hall its headquarters. Much of the garden was damaged in the fighting and later repaired. The Inner Garden, laid out in 1709, was recreated in 1956.

The Huxinting (Mid-Lake Pavilion) Teahouse, reached by a zigzag bridge, reopened in July 2025 after nearly two years of restoration and is described by the Shanghai government as having stood for more than 240 years.

Local life & traditions

The Old Town around Yu Garden was the walled Chinese city long before the Bund was built, and it remains a place where Shanghainese come to shop for festivals, eat traditional snacks and visit the City God Temple. During Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival the area is decorated with elaborate lantern displays and becomes one of the busiest places in the city. The nearby Fuyou Road Mosque, built by local Chinese Muslims in the Qing dynasty, is a reminder of the old city's long-established Hui community.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Allow one to two hours for the garden itself, taking time over the views framed by moon gates and lattice windows. Then explore the bazaar lanes, where you can try local snacks, browse for tea and crafts, and photograph the layered rooftops.

From spring to autumn, consider the evening tour inside the garden, which adds light installations and performances, or simply come back after dark to see Yuyuan Old Street illuminated. The Bund is a short ride away, making it easy to combine both in one day.

When to go

Spring (April and May) brings fresh greenery and pleasant temperatures; autumn (October and November) is similarly comfortable. Summer is hot, humid and crowded, though the night tour operates on more evenings from May to October. The Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival period is spectacular for lantern displays but extremely crowded. Arrive at opening time on a weekday for the calmest visit.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Address: 132 Anren Street, Huangpu District, Shanghai Source: highspeed.mtr.com.hk ↗
Getting there: Shanghai Metro Line 10 to Yuyuan Garden Station, then about a 10-minute walk Source: highspeed.mtr.com.hk ↗
Night tour schedule (as published, Jul 2025): May to October: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 18:30-21:50 (last entry 21:00); January to April and November to December: Fri to Sun 18:00-21:20 (last entry 20:30); closed other evenings except public holidays Source: english.shanghai.gov.cn ↗
Night tour booking: Tickets via the 'Shanghai Yuyuan' WeChat account or at the South Gate ticket office, 279 Yuyuan Old Street; entry in timed batches with a reservation QR code; discounted or free ticket holders must show valid ID Source: english.shanghai.gov.cn ↗
Nearby mosque: Fuyou Road Mosque (North Mosque), 378 Fuyou Road, Huangpu District, beside Yuyuan Garden Source: touch.shio.gov.cn ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Go early on a weekday; the garden and bazaar are busiest from late morning and at weekends.
Keep the garden ticket handy, as you may be asked to show it again inside.
The bazaar is a shopping area aimed at visitors; compare prices before buying souvenirs.
Wear comfortable shoes for uneven stone paths, steps and rockeries.
Muslim travellers can visit the Fuyou Road Mosque a few minutes' walk away; dress modestly and check prayer times locally.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Yu Garden & Old Town: food, markets & places to stay

The Yuyuan bazaar and Yuyuan Old Street surround the garden with tea houses, snack stalls and craft shops, and the City God Temple stands next to it. Fuyou Road Mosque lies beside the garden, and the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque on Xiaotaoyuan Street is also in the old city area; ask locally for halal eateries nearby. The Bund is a short taxi ride or a pleasant walk to the north-east.