Yu Garden Shanghai — Tickets & Visitor Guide
The only well-preserved Ming-dynasty Jiangnan classical garden in central Shanghai, first built in 1559. Two hectares packed with 40+ features: the Yulinglong Stone, the Nine-Zigzag Bridge, and Dianchun Hall. Klook tickets from ¥30 — paired with the old-street food, this is the most classic half-day in Shanghai.
At a Glance
| Ticket price | Peak ¥40 / Off-peak ¥30 |
|---|---|
| Klook discount | From ¥30 |
| Opening hours | Tue–Sun 09:00–16:30 (closed Mondays) |
| Location | Metro Lines 10/14, "Yuyuan Garden" station |
| Time needed | 1.5 h garden + 1 h old-street food |
| Size | 2 hectares (40+ features) |
1. What Yu Garden is
Yu Garden was built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan, a Ming-dynasty official, as a place of repose for his elderly father — the name "Yu" literally means "to please the elderly." The garden took 18 years to finish and is one of the great surviving examples of the Jiangnan classical garden tradition. It was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 1982.
Its defining quality is "a forest of mountains within reach" — within just two hectares, the designers conjured every classical garden element: hills, water, pavilions, terraces, halls, towers, galleries, bridges and groves. It's the polar opposite of Beijing's Summer Palace (300 hectares of imperial scale), and embodies the Jiangnan literati's "see the great in the small" aesthetic.
The surrounding Yuyuan Old Street is one of Shanghai's oldest commercial districts, home to the City God Temple, the Nine-Zigzag Bridge and Nanxiang xiaolongbao. One garden ticket plus a free wander around the old street is the best-value "Jiangnan experience" in the city.
2. The 8 must-see features
- Yulinglong Stone (the Magical Jade) — the foremost of the "Three Famous Stones of Jiangnan" from the Ming era. A 5-tonne limestone embodying all four classical virtues: wrinkled, perforated, slender and translucent.
- Nine-Zigzag Bridge — in front of the Mid-Lake Pavilion just outside the garden. Nine right-angle turns: legend says spirits can only move in straight lines.
- Mid-Lake Pavilion (Huxinting) — a Ming-era teahouse operating since 1855, the oldest in Shanghai.
- Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers — Yu Garden's main entrance, a two-storey pavilion-library.
- Dianchun Hall — headquarters of the 1853 Small Sword Society uprising, with original artefacts on display.
- Sansui Hall — the largest hall in the garden, formerly the Pan family's audience hall.
- Great Rockery — 2,000 tonnes of yellow sandstone stacked into a 60-metre-long ridge, the highest point in the garden.
- Jiyu Water Gallery — a 140-metre waterside corridor, at its loveliest in the rain.
3. Suggested route (1.5 hours)
- 09:00 enter: head straight to Sansui Hall;
- 09:15: climb to the upper floor of the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers for an overview;
- 09:30: top of the Great Rockery;
- 09:45: Dianchun Hall and the Small Sword Society relics;
- 10:00: Yulinglong Stone (the photo you came for);
- 10:30: stroll the Jiyu Water Gallery;
- 10:45: exit via the south gate;
- 10:50: Nine-Zigzag Bridge and Mid-Lake Pavilion teahouse;
- 11:30: lunch on Yuyuan Old Street (Nanxiang xiaolongbao).
4. Old Street: 7 things to eat
- Nanxiang Xiaolongbao (Old Street flagship) — open since 1900, expect a queue. ¥35/basket.
- Songyuelou Vegetarian Buns — a hundred-year-old shop, ¥12 each.
- Ningbo Tangyuan (Ningbo Tangtuan Dian) — black-sesame filling, ¥18/bowl.
- Crab-Roe Soup Dumplings (Lübolang) — state-banquet quality, ¥88/basket.
- Yu Garden Bubble Tea — local-flavour boba, ¥22.
- Shanghai Shengjian (Yang's Fry-Dumpling, Yu Garden branch) — ¥6 each.
- Pear-Syrup Candy (a Yu Garden heritage brand) — traditional throat lozenges.
5. Ticket types
| Type | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (peak) | Garden | ¥40 |
| Adult (off-peak) | Garden | ¥30 |
| Student / 60+ | Garden | ¥15–20 |
| Children under 6 | Free | — |
| Night visit | Evening lantern show (holidays only) | ¥100 |
6. Best time to visit
- April–May: crab-apple blossoms and pleasant temperatures.
- September–October: osmanthus is in bloom — tea at the Mid-Lake Pavilion is unbeatable.
- Spring Festival: the Yu Garden Lantern Festival (lunar first month) is one of the most famous in China — must-see, but extremely crowded.
- Avoid: weekend mornings 11:00–15:00 (peak crowds); July–August (hot and humid).
Best time of day
Arrive at 09:00 sharp — fewest people, and the side-light is perfect for photos. Crowds peak after 14:00. For a clean shot of the Nine-Zigzag Bridge, before 09:30 is your only window.
7. How to get there
- Metro: Line 10, "Yuyuan Garden" Exit 1, walk 5 min along Fuyou Road to the south gate of the old street.
- Line 14, "Yuyuan Garden" Exit 6 — the closest exit.
- Didi / taxi: 10 min from The Bund, ~¥25.
- On foot: from The Bund along Fuzhou Road → Henan South Road, about 20 min.
8. How to save money
- Pre-book on Klook: skip the on-site queue (30 min in peak season);
- Off-season visits: ¥30 between December and March;
- Student tickets: ¥15–20 with a valid student ID;
- 60+ half-price;
- Night visit: Spring Festival only, ¥100 — the lighting is spectacular and worth it;
- Old Street is free: you only pay to enter the garden itself; the surrounding Old Street, Nine-Zigzag Bridge and City God Temple entrance are free to wander.
9. Practical tips
- Not allowed: selfie sticks, tripods, pets, outside food (inside the garden).
- Restrooms: 3 inside the garden.
- Accessibility: some sections have steps; wheelchairs face difficulty.
- Audio guide: Chinese/English audio devices rent for ¥30 at the gate.
- Rainy days: the garden is at its most beautiful in the rain, but some galleries get slippery.
- ID: real-name reservation required — bring your ID card or passport.
10. Why book through us
- Scan-and-enter, no on-site window queue;
- Voucher valid for 6 months;
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead;
- Customer service in Chinese, English and Japanese.