The mausoleum lies in a mountain valley with the the Hun River flowing at its front. It lies to the east of Mukden, with the majestic green pines of the Tianzhu Mountain in the distance behind it. The rectangular tomb is surrounded by a wall with the red entrance gate located in the center of the south wall. The walls on both east and west sides of the gate are decorated with glazed dragons. Placed on each side of the gate are tablets ordering riders to dismount, ornamental columns, stone tigers and memorial archways. These make the door dignified and magnificent. Inside the entrance, on both sides of the spirit path and among green pines are pairs of stone sculptures of tigers, horses, camels and tigers.

Inside the main tower is a stone tablet inscribed in Emperor Kang Xi's calligraphy, "The Tablet of Devine Merit and Sage Virtue" in honour of the Emperor Nurhachi. On the left and right sides of the tower are houses used for the offering of sacrifices; a 'fruit house,' a washing room and a vegetarian diet house. Further north is the Square Castle, the principal part of the mausoleum. In the south center is the Gate of Long'en (Grand Favour) covered by a triple-eaved arch, and in the north center is a Soul Tower with a stone tablet proclaiming the "Mausoleum of Emperor" standing inside. Turrets stand at each corner with Long'en (Grand Favour) Hall in the center. The three main columns and the five columns of the east and west side halls are places for the offering of sacrifices. Behind the main hall are the stone column gates and five-stone arch close to the silk burning pavilion. Beyond the Square Castle is the 'treasure castle' built in a crescent shape, hence the name, Crescent-Moon Castle. Below this lies the underground palace where the imperial remains were buried. Dong Ling is considered the first Imperial Mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty.

The Zhao Mausoleum is the largest and the most complete amongst the imperial tombs in north-east China.

The tomb was extended during the years of the Kang Xi and Jia Qing reigns. As construction was about to begin, Emperor Abahai sent high officials of the Ministry of Rites from the Manchu and Han nationalities, together with two imperial commissioners, to map the location of the tombs. Later, another pair of higher officials of the Ministry of Public Works from the Manchu and Han nationalities were sent to inspect. Talented officials from the 'eight banners' and other officials from the Ministry of Public Works also assisted in the management. Though the mausoleum lies fairly low on flat ground, its towers and halls are landmarks among green pines and cypresses. It was a 'forbidden palace' during the Qing Dynasty, took some eight years to build and was completed in 1643.

The graves are surrounded by rectangular walls, and the red entrance gate is located in south center. Outside the gate are tablets ordering dismount from horses, ornamental columns, stone lions and a stone bridge, as well as the exquisitely carved memorial archway built in the 6th year of the Jia Qing reign.

The left and right walls are inlaid with vividly shaped coloured glazed dragons. Inside the door, on the two sides of the Spirit Path (shen dao), are six pairs of beautifully carved stone sculptures of tigers, Chinese unicorns, Mongolian camels, horses and Asian elephants. Among them are a pair of stone horses called "elder white" and "younger white." These were the favorites of Abahai who clearly preferred the Mongolian horse with their shorter legs and hardy appearance. The 'Spirit Path' is a tradition borrowed from the Ming Dynasty and is a long cobbled walkway lined with statues of guardian animals and imperial officials. A Confucian concept, the Spirit Path is curved to confuse malevolent spirits who might upset the harmony of the tomb complex.

In the center of the north area is the tombstone tower. Inside the tower is a stone tablet sculptured with Emperor Kang Xi's calligraphy: "The Tablet of Divine Merit and Sage Virtue" of the Qing Dynasty. The tablet is over five meters high and weighs 50 thousand kilograms. The tower boasts a finely carved ornamental column. Behind the tower is the main part of the cemetery, the Square Castle. The Long'en Palace, built on a carved granite foundation, is in the center. It has three rooms, a glazed tile roof and sculptured beams. On its east and west sides are side halls, with towers standing at each corner. The eastern most pavilion was used as a dressing room by visiting emperors, while the western was used for sacrificing animals. The main entrance is called the Long'en Door. Behind the palace, a vivid tower contains a stone tablet inscribed with "The Tomb of Emperor" in the center. North of the Square Castle lies the Baocheng (Treasure Castle) shaped like a crescent moon. Inside the Baocheng can be seen the roof of the castle over the underground palace where the Emperor Abahai and his concubine were buried. Fangxiu Garden, to the south-west of the tomb, is a sequestered area of lush pine trees, singing birds and fragrant flowers.

Yongling Mausoleum is not as large and imposing as the Dongling and Fuling tombs. Inside the 'square castle' are watchtowers with embrasures, turrets, passages and the mausoleum itself. The mausoleum is composed of a front courtyard, the Fangcheng (the square castle) and a 'Baocheng' (tombs surrounded by additional high walls), all surrounded by a vermilion coloured wall. At the center of the south front yard stands the Red Gate inside of which are four pavilions with four stone tablets extolling the good deeds of the Qing ancestors in the Chinese, Mongolian and Manchu scripts.

On the east and west sides are tea houses, washing rooms and small pavilions for visitors to change their clothes. In line with the system of 'office' hall in front and bedroom in the rear, the 'Hall of Offering Sacrifice' was built inside the Square Castle. Left and right walls are inlaid with color glazed dragons which added luster to the vermilion walls and yellow tiles. The main building at the center of the Square Castle was called Qiyun Hall. Identical dragon bas reliefs are located on each side of Qiyun Gate, the gate leading into Yongling’s inner court and mausoleum. Inside the Qiyun Hall is the 'warm pavilion' and 'treasure bed' for offering sacrifices. Sacrifices often consisted of gold and silver ingots, food, silk, and colored paper. Two more side halls lie to the east and west of the Qiyun Hall. In front of the side halls is a silk burning furnace.

Within the grounds, there was an old elm known as the 'faerie tree.' When the Emperor Qianlong, (during the 43rd year of his reign) traveled to the east, he wrote a poem about the tree, entitled 'The Song of the Faerie Tree.' The poem was inscribed on a stone tablet which stood beside the tree. It has since been removed and is now protected within in the western side hall. During the rule of the Qing Dynasty, emperors would regularly visit the tomb to pay homage to their ancestors and pray for the continued prosperity of their nation. The Yongling Tomb is said to have excellent feng shui with the twelve peaks of the towering Qiyun Mountain providing an excellent backdrop. Qiyun Mountain has 12 peaks, one for each Qing emperor. Opposite lies Yancong Mountain with Suzi River running between them. From a distance the Yongling mausoleum is said to 'appear as a red dot in the green carpet of the forest.'