Long'en Gate, the site of memorial services, has five rooms with single eaves. High red walls flank the gate, which is located directly in front of Long'en Palace. Under the eave is the inscription "Long'en Palace" carved on a horizontal board in both Manchu and Chinese. The platform once contained a brass tripod, deer and cranes, all of which no longer exist.

The palace, which is fronted by a brick slope, contains wings rooms east and west of the main room. Located at the south end is a silk burner used to burn paper money or hold sacrificial offerings.

The back door of Long'en Palace is decorated with color-glazed tiles forming three arches. A wall also divides the palace's rear area into two segments -- the imperial court and a living area.

On the north face of the palace stands a color-glazed door. Through the two door pillars is a five-piece stone altar . A stone incense burner that rests in the center of the altar is decorated with many patterns and its four legs are shaped like elephant trunks. The burner is flanked by stone flower vases and candlesticks.

Following the five-piece stone altar is the magnificent double-eaved Soul Tower built in the style of flying rafters. With its flat slopes and up-curved gutters, the tower houses a tablet inscribed with the title of the tower and the tomb name in Manchurian, Chinese and Mongolian.

Under the Soul Tower is the Square Castle, with a city wall extending around the entire tomb area called Baocheng (Treasure Castle). The front of the Baocheng connects with a glazed screen wall shaped like a crescent moon -- hence its name, Crescent Moon Castle. The stairs on both sides of Crescent Moon Castle lead to the Soul Tower. There is also a paved path on the upper part of Baocheng lined with a lower wall.

The large mound in the center of Baocheng is the grave of the emperor and empress called Baoding (Precious Dome) or Dulongfu (Single Dragon Mound). To the south of Baoding is a glazed screen wall under which there is a tunnel leading to the underground palace of the emperor and empress.

 The Tombs of Emperors and Empresses

In the Dongling area there are five emperor tombs, four mausoleums for 15 empresses and five cemeteries for 136 concubines. Originally, outside the geomantic wall were the cemeteries for princesses and crowned princes. With each emperor's tomb located in the center, the cemeteries of their empresses and concubines were built around it. All emperor tombs were placed either to the east or west of Xiaoling Mausoleum.

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