Guyoyuan Garden, originally established during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1522-1566[...]
Guyoyuan Garden, originally established during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1522-1566), was a private residence known as ‘Yiyuan,’ derived from the line ‘green bamboo Yiyi’ in the Book of Songs. In the 11th year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign (A.D. 1746), it was renamed ‘Guyoyuan.’ The architectural style of Guyoyuan is akin to that of Suzhou gardens, featuring pavilions, towers, and halls amidst small bridges and flowing water, creating a scene that changes with every step, exuding an air of simplicity and elegance.
Guyoyuan has two main entrances; entering from the south leads to the Nanxiang Screen Wall (Reflecting Wall), while the north entrance leads to the Yiyeh Hall. Visitors can enter from the south and exit from the north, or vice versa, without retracing their steps. The Yiyeh Hall, the central hall of the garden, is supported by camphor wood pillars and is surrounded by pathways, allowing a panoramic view of the surrounding scenery.
To the east of Yiyeh Hall lies the Goose Pond, with the peculiar Jue Jiao Pavilion located to the south of the pond, a pavilion missing the northeast corner. Moving eastward, visitors pass by the Mandarin Duck Lake and the Pine and Crane Garden, leading to the Qingqing Garden, where one can truly appreciate the ‘green bamboo Yiyi’ scenery, with ancient buildings under the bamboo groves appearing fresh and elegant.
‘Water’ is an eternal theme in Jiangnan gardens, and visitors can observe the leisurely red carps in Guyoyuan’s waters. On the south bank of the Turtle Mountain Lake in the eastern part of the garden, there is a boat dock where visitors can enjoy the pavilions and towers from the lake, with options for electric boats and rowboats.
Guyoyuan features different seasonal flower exhibitions, with begonias in February and March, lotuses in summer, and wintersweet and narcissus in winter. The lotus exhibition in summer is particularly famous, attracting numerous photography enthusiasts with their professional equipment. Additionally, Guyoyuan’s Lantern Festival exhibitions offer a unique atmosphere and are worth visiting.
The Shanghai Guyoyuan Restaurant, located south of the garden, is the flagship of Nanxiang soup dumpling shops and is extremely popular. There are also many soup dumpling shops on Nanxiang Old Street outside the garden, all offering delicious flavors. Visitors can dine there while exploring the old street and experiencing the charm of the Jiangnan water town.
Guyoyuan is open all year round from 07:00 to 19:30. (1) From March to November, the south gate is open from 7:00 to 18:30, and the north gate is open from 5:30 to 19:30. (2) From December to February, the south gate is open from 7:00 to 19:00, and the north gate is open from 6:00 to 17:00.
Preferential policies: Elderly: Free for those aged 65 and above with valid identification; discounted for those aged 60 to 64 with valid identification. Children: Free for those under 6 years old with valid identification or under 1.3 meters in height; discounted for those aged 6 to 18 with valid identification. Retired military officers: Free with valid identification. Active-duty military personnel: Free with valid identification.
Students: Discounted for full-time undergraduate students and below with a valid student ID. Active, retired, and disabled firefighters (government professional firefighters): Free with valid identification. Disabled military personnel: Free with valid identification. Family members of active-duty military personnel: Free with valid identification. ‘Three Categories’ of personnel: Free with preferential certificates for martyrs, military personnel who died in service, and military personnel who died of illness.
Veterans: Free with valid identification.
Service facilities: Parking lot: [Shanghai Guyoyuan Parking Lot] Reference price: ¥7/hour; Address: No. 218, Hu Yi Highway, Jiading District, Shanghai; Spaces: 20
