Yuyuan dates to the Ming Jiajing era and is more than 460 years old. Together with the City God Temple, Nine-Bend Bridge and surrounding bazaar, it forms a garden, temple and market district.
The essentials
- Address and metro
- 168 Fuyou Road, Huangpu. Use Yuyuan Garden station on Lines 10 or 14, exits 1 or 7, then walk about three to five minutes.
- How long to allow
- Allow approximately 1.5–2 hours for the garden itself.
Tickets and opening hours
- Classical garden admission
- Listed admission is CNY 40 in April–June and September–November, and CNY 30 in July–August and December–March. Half-price entry has been listed for students and ages 60–69, with free entry for children under 1.3 metres and visitors aged 70+. Confirm current prices and eligibility documents.
- Garden hours
- For reference, 09:00–16:30, last entry at 16:00, and Monday closure except on public holidays.
- Free surrounding district
- The surrounding bazaar, bridge and old streets are free. Lights come on around 17:30, making this a separate evening option.
Inside the paid garden
- The Great Rockery
- This yellow-stone rockery is attributed to Ming master Zhang Nanyang. Its elevated view combines the garden's pavilions with Lujiazui's modern towers.
- Exquisite Jade Rock
- The garden's prized rock, described as a Northern Song relic and one of Jiangnan's three famous stones, with 72 perforations.
- Sansui Hall
- The first hall inside the garden: nine metres high and five bays wide, with roof figures described as Zhang Fei and Yan Yan.
- Dianchun Hall
- A former Small Swords Society command site, beside an undulating dragon wall recommended for architectural photographs.
- Inner Garden stage
- Deep inside the garden, an ornate stage with an octagonal carved ceiling, described as a quieter place to pause.
The bridge, teahouse and bazaar
- Nine-Bend Bridge
- The bridge frames Huxinting Teahouse and red lanterns reflected in the water. A folk saying associates crossing its turns with leaving bad luck behind.
- Huxinting Teahouse
- This all-timber teahouse is known for its construction without iron nails. Queen Elizabeth II took tea here in 1986.
- Yuyuan Bazaar
- Browse small design and souvenir shops, then return after the lanterns illuminate the old-style streets.
Established food names nearby
- Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant
- Beside Nine-Bend Bridge, known for juicy pork xiaolongbao. We recommend takeaway or an online set at approximately CNY 28–30 for six; check the actual offer.
- Lu Bo Lang
- Window seats overlook the lake; we recommend smoked fish and osmanthus pastries in a refined Shanghainese style.
- Da Hu Chun
- An established shengjian shop, recommended for its crisp base and savoury filling.
- Songyuelou
- A vegetarian option recommended for soft, fragrant vegetable buns.
- Ningbo Tangtuan
- Sesame or fresh-pork tangyuan for a soft, chewy sweet or savoury finish.
Two ways to connect the visit
- Garden route
- Sansui Hall → Yangshan Hall → Great Rockery → Yule Pavilion → Jiyu Corridor → Yuhua Hall for the Jade Rock → Dianchun Hall and dragon wall → Inner Garden stage.
- Free district and Bund evening
- Yuyuan station → old streets → Nine-Bend Bridge and Huxinting for the lights → City God Temple entrance → a 15–20-minute walk to the Bund.
Tickets, timing and footwear
- Do not buy the wrong ticket
- The bridge, bazaar and snack streets do not require garden admission. Buy a ticket only if you intend to enter the classical garden.
- Do not arrive at last entry
- Last garden entry is 16:00, so do not leave arrival until the cutoff.
- Choose a quieter hour
- For a less crowded visit, we recommend the first hour after the 09:00 opening on a working day, or after 15:00 to continue into the evening.
- Souvenirs and shoes
- We recommend comparing prices at Fuyoumen market rather than buying immediately in the scenic area. Wear flat, comfortable shoes for the stone paths.