Tucked away in a cosy corner of the north-eastern part of Shanghai, lies the wonderful Yuyuan Garden which means Garden of Happiness. Originally constructed by Pan Yunduan for his father during the Ming Dynasty in 1559, the Yu Garden spans an area of 2 hectares and is classified into six unique sections complete with exotic names such as: the Three Tassels Hall, Chamber of the Ten Thousand Flowers, Heralding Spring Hall, Huijing Hall, Jade Magnificence Hall and the Inner Garden. All these are inspired by Suzhou style and each area is separated from the others by ‘dragon walls’ with a dragon's head linking them. This garden was also where the Small Swords Society ran its headquarters during the Taiping Rebellion. As you explore this magnificent garden, be sure to head to the Jade Magnificence Hall where you will definitely be astounded by the impressive 3.3m Jade Rock, which weighs a massive 5 tonnes!