During our trip to Shanghai, we visited Yu Garden. We have admired the architectural style of Chinese gardens. After admiring the beautiful scenery, we always want to learn the history of Yu Garden. Then, what is the interesting story of this classical garden in Yu Garden?
This masterpiece of Jiangnan classical garden style is a gift from a son to his father. After hundreds of years of war damage, it was restored to its proper status as a national cultural site.
Origin
Yu Garden was built in 1559 as the private garden of Pan Yunduan, a bureaucrat of the Ming Dynasty in China. Yu Garden has a history of nearly 500 years. So, what is the origin of the name of Yuyuan Garden? “Yu” means peace and happiness. According to Pan Yunduan, Yu Garden was built for his father’s happiness and enjoyment. But the construction of Yuyuan Garden took too long. His father died shortly after the construction of Yuyuan Garden was completed, so Yuyuan Garden became Pan Yunduan’s own enjoyment paradise.
Folk Legend
There is a folk legend that when Pan Yunduan built the Yu Garden, his mother said that he wanted it to resemble the palace in Beijing, so Pan Yunduan built the Yu Garden like a garden in the palace with a carved dragon statue on the wall. Someone reported him to the emperor. After Pan Yunduan learned that he had been reported, he removed the dragon statue and used the Chenghuang Temple (Temple of the City Gods, known today as the “City Temple of Shanghai”) next to the wall to hide the statue. When the officers and soldiers came to search, no evidence of his crime was found.
History
Yu Garden has witnessed hundreds of years of history, and Yu Garden has also experienced historical changes and vicissitudes. From its beginning vitality to the withering demise into the 1940s, it was not until the recent restoration that repairs made Yu Garden what it is today.
In 1601, the owner of Yu Garden, Pan Yunduan, died, and the Pan family struggled to pay the huge cost of repairing and managing Yu Garden, and began to decline.
In 1760, some wealthy local merchants bought the Yu Garden in partnership and spent 20 years repairing some buildings in Yu Garden.
In 1842, when the First Opium War broke out, Yu Garden was invaded and suffered severe damage. In 1875, the entire garden was divided into public buildings by shops in Shanghai. At this time, the pavilions and terraces of Yuyuan Garden were dilapidated, the pool water dried up, the trees withered, and Yuyuan Garden was almost “withered”.
In 1942, the Japanese army further destroyed what was left.
Modern Restoration
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Yu Garden received official protection. In 1956, construction experts and technical workers carried out comprehensive restoration of Yu Garden for many years. In 1961, Yu Garden was officially opened to the outside world and became a favorite place for sightseeing and entertainment by Chinese and foreign people.
The Yu Garden is still undergoing continuous repairs after its opening. In 1982, the garden was declared a national historical site. On October 15, 1986, Queen Elizabeth II of England visited Yu Garden accompanied by Chinese leaders.
Yuyuan has gone through a long travail to have today’s beautiful look. We also feel the precious historical relics during our visit, we need to love and respect the cultural relics, in order to preserve our history.
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