No wonder there are so many foreigners at Yuyuan Garden—the Chinese aesthetic here is just too strong!!

Strolling through Yuyuan Garden, it feels like there’s more hidden here than just the Nine-turn Bridge and flying eaves. Passing by the 400-year-old ginkgo tree in the central square (photo 4), I suddenly stopped. It has witnessed Western clock chimes reaching Shanghai, and now it stands quietly opposite the City God Temple, like a silent witness. At this season’s market, the "Youth Creation Collection" (photos 7, 8) made me pause. Here, the fine stitches of Su embroidery shimmer warmly in the light, no longer an unattainable "luxury," but a beautiful everyday item you can touch. In front of the feather inlay stall, feathers and silver jewelry weave a light Eastern ambiance with a wonderful contemporary feel. These intangible cultural heritages are not like the queen’s phoenix crown in a museum glass case; they carry the warmth of the artisans and enter everyday life. The Yunnan tile cat says, "Mud and fire haven’t changed for a thousand years, but the expression of beauty can breathe with the times." This probably also describes Yuyuan itself. The City God Temple is from the Ming and Qing dynasties, but the lighting composes a "winter light and shadow symphony." As night falls, the square lights up. With the rise and fall of music, the ancient pavilions seem to awaken from a long winter, the flying eaves light up one by one, and the ginkgo branches are dyed with a golden glow (photos 5, 6, 11, 12). Standing there, what you feel is not just simple nostalgia, but a peaceful continuation: tradition has not faded; it has just changed its language and continues to coexist with this city. Before leaving, I took a brooch inlaid with a traditional Chinese medicine fruit, with silk tree flowers and silver threads entwined—low-key but captivating. Perhaps the true inheritance of intangible cultural heritage is not about volume, but about someone still willing to quietly and attentively turn time into wearable stories. 📌 Some viewing tips: The light show runs every half hour; the night is not the end, the effect is even more immersive Some intangible cultural heritage stalls offer hands-on experiences, so be sure to leave time to try it yourself—hurry if you want to go~ Three main check-in spots (also great viewing points for the light show): Central Square, Nine-turn Bridge, and Ninghui Road, with roaming vendors interacting along the way Let’s enjoy the romance of intangible cultural heritage together, learning as we stroll and play~