YUYUAN GARDEN
Entry to Yuyuan Garden is through an old temple area. Today this has been converted into a mass of tourist shops. We were hastily ushered past their temptations.
The garden was built in 1577 by a prominent member of the Pan family to provide a private place of rest and beauty for the enjoyment of his elderly parents. The name was chosen because "Yu" in Chinese means peace and health. It took twenty years and nearly all of the man’s savings to create this beautiful retreat. It suffered neglect and destruction over the years but was restored within the last forty to become a popular tourist destination. The garden today is a place of peace and comfort in the heart of busy Shanghai.
Yuyuan Garden is today compressed into five delightful acres, laid out with much the same style and precision as Suzhou’s Lingering Garden. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream was chosen or designed for tranquil effect. The garden is divided into scenic areas by boundary walls. Low arched portals may prove hazardous for tall people.
Tons of stone were hauled in for the construction of the Grand Rockery. Its peaks, cliffs, winding caves and gorges were designed to give visitors a real mountain illusion.
The whitewashed Dragon Wall is capped by a sinuous dragon with scale-like tiles. The effect is that this huge, horned dragon prowls the garden to maintain its safety and peace.
The Hall of Jade Magnificence is a study entirely furnished with rare rosewood pieces of the Ming Dynasty. Pools throughout the grounds are stocked with colourful fish. The elegant rockeries, ponds, walls and living quarters create a delicate and exquisite beauty in Yuyuan Gardens.