Built in 1420, the palace is located away from the main palaces on the east wing of the Forbidden City. The palace was originally called "Changshou", meaning "longevity", but was changed into "Yanxi" in the Qing Dynasty, implying "prolonged happiness".

Though concubine Ling did exist in history, there is no record she once lived at the Yanxi Palace.

As per Song Tong from the Qing Dynasty History Research Institute of Renmin University, the detailed records of concubines in Chinese history are sketchy. Since concubines often changed their residents in the Forbidden City, whether concubine Ling did live at the Yanxi Palace still needs to be proved.