Yu Yuan is a pleasant enough, well-contained classical Chinese garden, if not quite the loveliest of its kind, as local boosters would have you believe. Bearing the burden of being the most complete classical garden in urban Shanghai and therefore a must-see for every tourist, this overexposed garden overflows daily with hordes of visitors, and is no longer the pastoral haven it once was. Built between 1559 and 1577 by local official Pan Yunduan as the private estate for his father, Yu Yuan (meaning Garden of Peace and Comfort) is a maze of Ming Dynasty pavilions, elaborate rockeries, arched bridges, and goldfish ponds, all encircled by an undulating dragon wall. Occupying just 2 hectares (5 acres), it nevertheless appears quite expansive, with room for 30 pavilions.
Information
Yu Yuan is located at the heart of Old Town (Nanshi), a few blocks southwest of the Bund in downtown Shanghai (nearest Metro: Henan Zhong Lu, which is still a mile away). The main entrance and ticket window (tel. 021/6355-5032) are on the north shore of the Huxin Ting pond. It is open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm (last ticket 5pm). The least crowded time to visit is early morning. Allow 2 hours for a leisurely tour of this site.
Information
Yu Yuan is located at the heart of Old Town (Nanshi), a few blocks southwest of the Bund in downtown Shanghai (nearest Metro: Henan Zhong Lu, which is still a mile away). The main entrance and ticket window (tel. 021/6355-5032) are on the north shore of the Huxin Ting pond. It is open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm (last ticket 5pm). The least crowded time to visit is early morning. Allow 2 hours for a leisurely tour of this site.
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