Horses above the old-city lanes
Ninghui Road will carry dancing-horse displays, while the Nine-Turn Bridge area draws on celestial and mythological imagery. A six-sided revolving lantern combines the familiar turning-lantern form with an interactive installation. Collaborations with Luoyang Museum and Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House place museum objects and written language within the festive scenery.
Yuyuan’s dense roofs, shop signs and narrow passages make this a particularly theatrical setting. The lanterns sit among long-established businesses such as Tong Han Chun Tang and Shanghai Classical Restaurant. A trip here combines the temporary display with a recognisable piece of the old commercial city.
One paid zone, five free ones
The folk-art lantern zone at Yuyuan Garden Malls is ticketed. BFC’s fashion-oriented display, Gucheng Park, Middle Fangbang Road, Fuyou Road and the Bund zones are free. Their characters differ: traditional lantern craftsmanship remains at the centre of Yuyuan, while the route towards the river opens the festival into newer commercial and public spaces.
The festival is in the surrounding streets and malls; it should not be confused with admission to the enclosed classical Yu Garden itself. A lantern ticket and a garden visit answer different plans.
Tickets and the important closed night
Adult tickets are 80 yuan and children’s tickets 50 yuan. Sales begin 19 January through the “豫园商城” WeChat service account and participating ticket platforms. The festival is closed on 16 February, Chinese New Year’s Eve: there are no lights and no ticket sales that day.
Ticketed entry is 14:00–22:00 on Fridays–Sundays, 17–23 February and 3 March; other dates use 16:00–22:00. The old-city approach is around Fuyou Road and Middle Fangbang Road (黄浦区福佑路、方浜中路), with the six-zone map useful for the walk towards the river.