Yu Garden, Shanghai During the Epidemic, February 2020

11 Feb 2020

At the beginning of the pandemic, when so many were outside of the city visiting family for Chinese New Year, Shanghai's bustling city life came to a halt. The empty roads and sidewalks were eerily silent, as residents stayed safe inside. It was like a scene from a sci-film where the city becomes empty overnight, with no explanation as to why it happened, or when it would end.

Let's go to the core of the Old City - Yu Garden and Yuyuan Bazaar, and have a look at the streets once packed with a sea of tourists, both day and night.

The lanterns and decorations, once brightly lit and welcoming, stood dark and still. The children's faces once lit up by the life around them; the bubbles, toys, and small trinkets sold by the vendors, were nowhere to be seen.

The upturned corners of the traditional buildings' tops seemed to be opening their arms to welcome the visitors that never came.

Usually at this time of year, Yu Garden is filled to the brim with visitors in anticipation of the upcoming New Year celebrations. This year, unlike any year before it, the people were home, isolated from their loved ones.