Yu Garden (豫园, Yùyuán) is a private garden built in the Ming dynasty for the Pan family. Pan Yunduan started it in 1559 for his elderly father, and work went on into the 1570s. Today it covers about 2 hectares in the old city of Shanghai, a short metro ride or walk south of the Bund.
Classical Chinese gardens are about layout more than flowers. Walls divide Yu Garden into six areas, linked by moon gates and covered corridors. Each area frames a different view of water, rock, trees and halls. It is worth seeing even if you plan to visit the gardens of Suzhou later; our Shanghai city guide explains how to fit both.
What you see
Near the entrance, the Great Rockery rises about 12 meters from a pond, built from yellow stone into small peaks, caves and paths. Climb it for a view over the roofs. Further in, look for the dragon walls, whose wavy gray-tiled ridges divide the garden.
The best-known single piece is the Exquisite Jade Rock, a pitted boulder about 3.3 meters high. Legend says it was meant for an emperor’s garden and was rescued from the river after its boat sank. Halls and pavilions sit around the ponds, with lattice windows that frame the next view.
Outside the ticket gate, the Huxinting teahouse stands on stilts in a pond, reached by a zigzag bridge. It was built in 1855. Around it is the Yuyuan bazaar, with hundreds of shops and snack stalls, and the City God Temple.
How to visit
Take Metro Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden station and walk about 5–10 minutes to the garden. There are two entrances: the north gate at 168 Fuyou Road, and the south gate at 279 Yuyuan Old Street, at the end of the zigzag bridge. The south gate is for individual visitors only.
Ticket windows are at both gates. To buy ahead, open WeChat, search for the official mini program 上海豫园, and pay with WeChat Pay; you then scan in at the gate.
Allow about one and a half to two hours inside. A calm route is to go in at the north gate, climb the Great Rockery first while it is quiet, then work south through the halls to the Jade Rock and the inner garden. Leave by the south gate and walk out over the zigzag bridge past the teahouse into the bazaar.
Plan another hour for the bazaar and a snack. It is busy and commercial, and lines at the gate can be long on weekends.
When to go
Arrive at 9:00 on a weekday. Weekends and holidays are much busier. The last entry is at 16:00 and the garden empties at 16:30, so a late visit will feel rushed.
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant times to sit by the water. Prices follow the seasons: ¥40 in spring and autumn, ¥30 in summer and winter. During Spring Festival the bazaar is hung with lanterns and very crowded, and the garden posts special hours; check before you go.
Practical tips
- The garden is closed on Mondays, except public holidays.
- Bring your passport if you want a senior or student discount, and expect the window to check it.
- Children under 1.3 m tall, or 6 and under, enter free with an adult. One adult can bring up to three children.
- Paths are uneven, with steps, thresholds and rockery climbs. Wear flat shoes.
- The bazaar and the zigzag bridge are lit after dark and are free to walk, long after the garden itself closes.
- For dumplings nearby, read our Shanghai food guide. For buying tickets in WeChat or Alipay, see paying in China.
Checked on 29 October 2026. Opening times and ticket rules change; confirm on the official site before you go.
