Yu Garden & City God Temple 豫园与城隍庙Yùyuán Yǔ Chénghuáng Miào

Why go to Yu Garden & City God Temple

Yu Garden is a Ming-dynasty private garden in the north-east of Shanghai's old walled city, divided by walls into a string of smaller gardens with rockeries, ponds, pavilions and halls. Next door the City God Temple, a working Taoist temple, and the busy Yuyuan bazaar make it an easy half-day of old Shanghai. The national listing also covers the nearby Chenxiang Pavilion, a working Buddhist nunnery.

The story

The official Pan Yunduan began the garden in 1559 so that his father, the minister Pan En, could enjoy a comfortable old age; the name's yu means pleasing, in the sense of pleasing one's parents. The 'Small Swords' rebels used Dianchun Hall as their headquarters in the 1850s, and the garden was opened to the public in 1961.

What to see at Yu Garden & City God Temple

• Zigzag Bridge and Huxinting Teahouse 九曲桥与湖心亭: The approach to the garden crosses a zigzag bridge over a pond to a Ming-style teahouse on an island, the classic photo of the old city.
• Grand Rockery 大假山: A rockery about 12 metres high built from yellow stone, with peaks, cliffs, caves and gorges to scramble round; it may date to the Ming.
• Exquisite Jade Rock 玉玲珑: A porous 3.3-metre boulder, one of the garden's best-known features. Stories say it was meant for a Song emperor's garden but was salvaged from the river after a shipwreck.
• Dianchun Hall 点春堂: Built in 1820 and later used as a command post by the Small Swords rebels; it now displays the group's relics.
• Dragon walls 龙墙: Undulating tiled walls with dragon heads divide the garden into its separate courtyards, linked by moon gates and covered corridors.
• City God Temple 城隍庙: A Zhengyi Taoist temple founded in 1403, with a bustling courtyard beside the garden.

How to visit Yu Garden & City God Temple

Approach from Yuyuan Garden station through the bazaar streets, cross the Zigzag Bridge and enter the garden from Anren Street. Allow an hour or two inside, following the walls from the Grand Rockery to Dianchun Hall and the Inner Garden. Then visit the City God Temple and browse the lanes around it; Chenxiang Pavilion is a short walk away if you have time.

How to get to Yu Garden & City God Temple

Metro Lines 10 and 14 to Yuyuan Garden station, then a walk of about 400 m through the bazaar streets. The garden's entrance is on Anren Street, just past the Zigzag Bridge.

Where to stay

The old city and People's Square areas are close, and Metro Lines 10 and 14 link you straight to the Bund and the French Concession. Staying near East Nanjing Road also puts the bazaar within walking distance.

What to eat

• Xiaolongbao 小笼包: Soup dumplings are the headline snack of the bazaar, from famous old shops and street counters alike. Expect queues at peak times.
• Ningbo glutinous rice balls 宁波汤团: Sticky rice dumplings with a sweet black sesame filling, served in hot broth.
• Shengjianbao 生煎包: Pan-fried pork buns with a crisp base and juicy filling, eaten hot from the pan.

Tips for visiting Yu Garden & City God Temple

• The garden is closed on Mondays except public holidays, and the last entry is shortly before closing, so go in the morning.
• Tickets can be bought at the gate or online; carry your passport as ID.
• The bazaar and the Zigzag Bridge are packed at weekends and holidays; weekday mornings are far calmer.

Nearby

• The Bund & Lujiazui Skyline 外滩与陆家嘴 under 10 km
  1920s banks on one bank of the river, a sci-fi skyline on the other
• Lujiazui 陆家嘴 under 10 km
  Shanghai's skyline in a loop of river: spheres, a twisting tower and the Bund opposite
• Shanghai Museum 上海博物馆 under 10 km
  Ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, painting and jade, now shown at Shanghai Museum East
• Former French Concession 原法租界 under 10 km
  Plane-tree streets, garden villas and shikumen lanes for Shanghai's best city walk
• Shanghai Disney Resort 上海迪士尼度假区 20 km
  Mainland China's first Disney theme park, with a castle, rides and nightly shows
• Zhouzhuang 周庄古镇 60 km
  Jiangnan's most famous water town, famed for its Twin Bridges and merchant halls

Also within 30 km: Holy Trinity Church 圣三一堂 (under 10 km), Top of Shanghai Observatory, Shanghai Tower 上海之巅观光厅 (under 10 km), Jin Mao Tower 88th-Floor Observation Deck 金茂大厦88层观光厅 (under 10 km), Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center 上海城市规划展示馆 (under 10 km), Shanghai Ocean Aquarium 上海海洋水族馆 (under 10 km), Site of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party 中共一大会址 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Yu Garden & City God Temple on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Official website
• Wikipedia (Chinese)