The Xiaoling is the tomb of the Shunzhi Emperor, the first Qing emperor to rule China from Beijing, and it occupies the central position in the complex — the founding mausoleum around which all the others were arranged. It is the oldest of the five imperial tombs here, begun in 1661, and the processional spirit way it shares with the rest of the complex is one of the most impressive in China, stretching more than six kilometres with paired stone animals and human figures at regular intervals.
The above-ground structures at Xiaoling are largely faithful to the original and give the best sense of the ceremonial sequence that visitors would have followed on sacrificial days. The offering halls are open and well preserved. The burial mound behind, though not accessible underground, is substantial and set against a backdrop of wooded hills that give this part of the complex its strongest sense of imperial remoteness.
The Xiaoling is usually the starting point for a visit to the complex, both because of its central position and because the spirit way that leads to it serves the whole site.