The big red gate is the main entrance to the eastern tombs. A magnificent, six-pillar stone arch stands in front of the gate, with a faint golden picture carved into it. There is also a stone unicorn and a tablet inscribed with the characters meaning "Officials Dismount From Horse Here" to illustrate the dignity of feudal emperors. Originally, on both sides of the red gate was a "geomantic omen wall," of which only traces remain.

Through the red gate and to the right of the spiritual pathway once was a locker palace where people paid homage at the tombs and changed their clothing. Today, the locker no longer exists.

The spiritual pathway was paved with three layers of large bricks and decorated with stone creatures. Starting from the stone ornamental column (or watching pillar), 18 pairs of stone animals and human figures were arranged at fixed intervals. Among them are horses, elephants, unicorns, courtiers and military officers. There are eight pairs of such creatures at the Yuling Mausoleum and five more at other mausoleums.

Beyond the stone creatures is a large decorated archway. This double-eaved structure has four ornamental columns, each over 10 meters high. In the center of the archway are the two Tablets of Divine Merit and Sage Virtue, each set on the back of a dragon-headed turtle. The jade tablets were inscribed by Emperor Shunzhi both in Manchu and Chinese.

Following the big stone archway is the Gate of the Dragon and Phoenix - a six-pillar building adorned with dragon and phoenix patterns on glazed bricks and tiles. Between the big red gate and the Gate of the Dragon and Phoenix, are various buildings arranged in a variety of angles, giving visitors a series of new and ever-changing impressions of the compound.

On the north end of the spiritual pathway is a small pavilion with a stone tablet inside set on the back of a stone turtle. The tablet is inscribed with the Emperor's reigning title and the name of the mausoleum. Lying to the east of the pavilion is a sacred kitchen and two three-room storehouses. The kitchen is a five-room unit used for preparing sacrificial offerings and the storehouses were used as compounds for breeding horses. Immediately north of the pavilion are three bridges, each containing three arches, to match the others along the road to the small pavilion. Under the bridges flows the Yudai (Jade Belt) Stream (also known as the Dragon Beard Ditch).

Further north is Long'en Palace. Entering the palace are five wing rooms and three guard rooms on both sides. In the east wing are teahouses and dining rooms, while cakes and fruit were served in the west wing. At the time, tributes were submitted from here by the Ministry of Rites. The guard rooms were used by those on duty.

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