This Hall was one of the first constructed under the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) in order to make it a residence for his mother. Located at the northeast of the Summer Palace near to the Kunming Lake, the building unfortunately burnt down after the Anglo-French occupation in the 1860s, and was restored under Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress took a real pleasure in spending her time in this Hall with her 48 attendants and a retinue of over a thousand people accompanying her inside the Summer Palace. Called Le Shou Tang (乐寿堂) in Chinese, the name has not been given without hazard as this is a tribute to the Analects of Confucius. Indeed, saying that "persons with wisdom are joyous, with benevolence longevous", the Emperor followed the rule looking for the longest reign on Earth for he was said to be the Son of the Heaven.

The Hall is where seeing a well-decorated throne, fans, copper incense burners, desk and rosewood inlaid shell carving glass screen. Porcelain tracing back from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) is also to be seen, a cultural relic that ranks as one of the most precious in China. On the ceiling of the Hall is a colorful pendant lamp that has been imported from Germany in 1903. At the east of the hall stands the inner chamber in and bedroom of Empress Cixi; at the west, the dressing room and at the behind it all the place where maid servants waited for order. When passing through the front gate, visitors will find themselves directing to the Kunming Lake, where boats were and still are docked. Finally, the Hall of Joyful Longevity is also composed of a small courtyard garden in which Emperors used to relax as well as impress visitors. Filled with flowers of any kinds representing peace, prosperity and having also the power to cure diseases, the garden was a great pride of the Court Area.