Trip Overview
When: February 2021 (Chinese New Year/Lantern Festival season)
Duration: 1 day
Travelers: Couple
Budget: ~100 RMB (~$15 USD)
Location: Yuyuan Garden (豫园), Shanghai (上海)
About the Yuyuan Lantern Festival
The Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival (豫园灯会) is Shanghai's most famous, influential, and visually spectacular Chinese New Year celebration. As a nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage project, this festival has been held for 25 consecutive years, becoming Shanghai's most impactful New Year cultural event.
In 2021, the lanterns carried the hopeful theme of "Turning the Tide" (扭转乾坤) for the Year of the Ox, filling the entire Yuyuan Shopping City with festive joy and auspicious wishes.
The festival featured multiple lantern installations themed around oxen, including the "Chinese Fighting Ox," the "Five Oxen Painting," and the "Touring the Jiangnan Hundred Scenery Garden" display. What makes Yuyuan unique is its dual experience: enjoy the gardens during the day and be mesmerized by the illuminated lanterns at night. Visitors flock here daily, making it Shanghai's most vibrant spot during the Spring Festival.
Center Square: The Magnificent Fighting Ox
At the center of the square stands an impressive 8-meter-tall "Chinese Fighting Ox" (中国奋斗牛), striding forward with majestic power and grandeur.
Beneath the golden ox is a representation of a five-member family, symbolizing people's aspirations for a better life. The base features silhouettes showcasing China's achievements: aerospace exploration, Mars missions, quantum information technology, artificial intelligence, the J-20 fighter jet, aircraft carriers, and beautiful rural villages—displaying the Chinese nation's unyielding spirit and drive toward national rejuvenation.
Huabao Building: A Journey Through Chinese History
On the Huabao Building (华宝楼), lanterns depict the CPC's founding site at Xingye Road's Shikumen, the revolutionary sacred site of Yan'an, and the magnificent Tiananmen Gate tower. The theme "Ox Turns the Tide, Tide Rises from the East" (牛转乾坤、潮起东方) captures the spirit of the times.
This colorful lantern display tells the story of the Communist Party of China: founded at the Shikumen in Xingye Road, developed on the banks of Yan'an, marched bravely across the Jinshui Bridge, ascended Tiananmen with雄赳赳 stride, and solemnly declared to the world: "The Chinese people have stood up!" The 100-year struggle of the Party is beautifully visualized.
Foreigner tip: These historical lantern displays are particularly meaningful for understanding Chinese culture and history. The visual storytelling makes it accessible even without Mandarin fluency.
Hefeng Building: Thousand Li River Mountain
On the Hefeng Building (和丰楼) facade, 3D technology brings to life the "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" (千里江山图), a famous Chinese painting, with cyclical light shows that are absolutely stunning.
Jiu Shi Lou: The Five Oxen Lanterns
In front of Jiu Shi Lou (九狮楼) and Laomiao Gold Silver Shop (老庙黄金银楼), the Five Oxen lantern group is particularly meaningful. Based on one of China's top ten famous paintings, the Tang Dynasty's "Five Oxen" by Han Huang, this is a creative "Three-Dimensional Five Oxen" lantern installation.
The original painting is housed in Beijing's Palace Museum (故宫博物院). In "Five Oxen," five oxen are arranged from right to left, each with different expressions and postures: one lowering its head to graze, one looking up, one licking its tongue, one walking slowly, and one scratching against a bush. The entire painting has no background except a small tree on the right, so each ox can stand alone as its own masterpiece.
In this lantern version, the five oxen gather around a treasure cauldron, adorned with fortune and prosperity elements, highlighting the theme of "Ox Brings Good Fortune" (牛运亨通). It expresses heartfelt wishes for everyone to have a lucky Year of the Ox and a joyful family reunion.
九曲桥: The Nine-Turn Bridge - Night Magic
The Nine-Turn Bridge (九曲桥) central lake was the most popular spot during the festival. The bridge was packed with visitors eager to experience the magic.
Scenes from Chinese culture and landscapes are beautifully presented: Diaoyutai (钓鱼台), the Money Tree (摇钱树), the Riverside Bridge from "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" (清明上河桥)... mountains and green waters, stone bridges, and painted boats—showcasing the prosperity of Jiangnan! This is also inspired by the popular Chinese mobile game "Jiangnan Hundred Scenes" (江南百景图).
On the water surface, groups of colorful lanterns create stunning displays: West Lake's Three Stone Pagodas (西湖三潭印月), Jiaxing's Red Boat (嘉兴红船), Huangshan's Welcome Guest Pine (黄山迎客松), Suzhou gardens (姑苏园林), and arched stone bridges... each lantern group is rich in form and vibrant in color, reflecting beautifully on the water and adding extra charm to the Nine-Turn Bridge lake.
The Night Illuminated City
As night falls, the area transforms into a dazzling wonderland of lights. The transparent light carving technology turns the Nine-Turn Bridge lake into a fantastical "City of Lights":
The lake water resembles colorful colored glass, with light and shadow weaving across the surface—sometimes like various colored gems, clear and brilliant; sometimes like swirling mist and clouds, dreamlike and ethereal.
With modern fiber optic technology integrated into traditional lanterns, beams of colorful light project onto the lake surface, showing animated images of fish swimming. It's truly captivating and beautiful— visitors find it hard to leave.
The Nine-Turn Bridge becomes a fantastical "City of Lights," where the vibrant colors of the buildings reflect on the lake surface. The water is like colored glass, and light and shadow interweave across the lake.
Evening Entertainment
Beyond the lanterns, there's also a water stage on the river. In the evening, there are regular performances featuring replica scenes from "Jiangnan Hundred Scenes." If you're lucky, you might catch a half-show of live singing and dancing. The crowd was too thick to get a good view, so I had to raise my camera high to capture what I could—the show is also viewable through the camera lens!
Store Signage and Decorations
The shop signs and decorative lanterns throughout the area add to the magical atmosphere.
Store sign lanterns create a warm and festive glow throughout the entire area.