based on 10,691 reviewsYu Garden is located in the northeast of Shanghai's Yu Garden tourism and commercial district, adjacent to the Shanghai City God Temple and Yu Garden Shopping Mall. As a renowned classical Jiangnan-style garden, it is a famous scenic spot both domestically and internationally. In 1982, it was designated as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site.
Yu Garden was first built during the Jiajing and Wanli eras of the Ming Dynasty, boasting a history of over 450 years. Its original owner, Pan Yunduan, once served as the provincial administration commissioner of Sichuan. To provide his father with a peaceful retirement, Pan began constructing the garden on his family's vegetable plot in 1559 (the Jihai year of Jiajing reign), creating ponds with excavated stones, building pavilions, and cultivating bamboo. After more than 20 years of meticulous development, Yu Garden was completed.
The name "Yu Garden" carries the auspicious meanings of "peace" and "tranquility," symbolizing joy for elderly parents. When first constructed during the Ming Dynasty, this magnificent garden spanned over 70 acres. Designed by renowned landscape architect Zhang Nanyang, who personally oversaw its construction, Yu Garden boasts grand scale and exquisite scenery.
Yu Garden now covers 2 hectares, featuring staggered pavilions, rugged rockeries, and lush greenery. Renowned for its serene beauty and exquisite craftsmanship, it exemplifies the art of compact design that suggests grandeur within a limited space, embodying the architectural style of Jiangnan gardens during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Yu Garden still preserves historical sites such as the "Cangshu Lou" (Library Building), the birthplace of Shanghai-style painting and calligraphy, and the "Dianchun Tang" (Spring Hall) in Yu Garden, which served as the command center of the Small Swords Society uprising in Shanghai. Ancient scholars praised Yu Garden with accolades like "peerless beauty in the southeast" and "the crown of southeastern gardens."
Yu Garden has welcomed numerous domestic and foreign political leaders and celebrities, serving as a rare gem of traditional culture in Shanghai.




























Other visitors' reviews of Yu Garden
Show More Reviews6. Yu Garden, with its 400-year history, is a captivating blend of ancient charm and modern elegance. Its pavilions, rockeries, ponds, ancient trees, and swaying bamboo are all beautiful. The only downside is the sheer number of people; it was incredibly crowded. I was constantly being pushed around by the flow of people. But even with so many people, there's a unique kind of scenery to it.