Xiangqi (Chinese chess) notation reference. Chinese notation (炮二平五) ↔ WXF international notation (C2.5). Pieces, board, move syntax, and common openings explained.
Xiangqi Interactive Board (中国象棋互动棋盘)
Move history
Captured
How to use
Learn the 7 piece types
King, Advisor, Elephant, Chariot, Knight, Cannon, Pawn. Each has unique movement — see the reference table.
Understand board coordinates
9 files × 10 ranks; Red and Black file numbering runs opposite (1-9 from each player's right).
Master the move syntax
平 (sideways) / 进 (forward) / 退 (backward). WXF uses . (sideways) / + (forward) / - (backward).
Practice with 10 common openings
10 classical opening moves shown in both notations — e.g. 炮二平五 (Central Cannon) = C2.5 (WXF).
Xiangqi: A Thousand Years of Eastern Strategy
Chinese chess (Xiangqi, 象棋) is one of China\'s oldest board games. Origins trace to the Warring States period (475-221 BCE) "bo-yi" board games; the modern rules crystallised during the Song dynasty (960-1279). Alongside international chess and Go, Xiangqi is one of the world\'s three major strategy board games.
Two parallel notation systems
Chinese notation (traditional): expressions like 炮二平五 (Cannon-2-平-5), 马二进三 (Horse-2-进-3). Concise, expressive, ideal for pen-and-paper and verbal commentary. WXF notation (World Xiangqi Federation, 1990s): letters for pieces (K=King, N=Knight, C=Cannon, etc.) + digits + symbols (.+-). Convenient for computers, international games, and notation databases. Both systems coexist.
Xiangqi in SG/MY
Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaysia commonly play Xiangqi at kopitiams and HDB void decks. The Singapore Chinese Chess General Association maintains a professional ranking system. Malaysia also fields professional players in Asian tournaments.
Who is this tool for?
(1) Beginners: learning both Chinese and WXF notation; (2) Intermediate: understanding the concise opening notation; (3) Cross-platform: matching online game records (usually WXF) against Chinese chess books (usually Chinese notation); (4) Tournament refs / coaches: recording game moves.
This tool\'s notation rules follow the World Xiangqi Federation 1996 standard (public domain).
10 Facts about Xiangqi
Xiangqi has approximately 500 million players — the most-played board game in the world.
The Cannon (炮) is unique to Xiangqi — no equivalent in international chess. The cannon's "screen capture" (jumping over one piece to take) is one of the most distinctive rules in any chess variant.
9×10 board + the river: the central "Chu-Han boundary" (楚河汉界) — the river — recalls the Chu-Han contention (206-202 BCE) between Liu Bang (Han) and Xiang Yu (Chu).
"Elephants don't cross the river" (象不过河) is a core rule. Elephants stay in their own half — once across, they lose their power. A uniquely "geographic strategy" concept in Chinese chess.
The "palace" (9-square area): each player has a 3×3 area where the King and Advisors must stay. Another distinctive spatial constraint.
"Cannon 2 to 5" (炮二平五, C2.5) — the Central Cannon opening — is statistically the most common opening, used in 40%+ of professional games.
Xiangqi is very active in Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore has a Chinese Chess General Association with annual open tournaments. Malaysian players like Li Jinhuan represent the country at Asian championships.
WXF notation was standardised by the World Xiangqi Federation in the 1990s to make Xiangqi records readable by computers and international players. Global Xiangqi platforms now universally use WXF.
Xiangqi AI has been harder than international chess AI. The Cannon, Advisor, and Elephant create more complex search trees. But deep learning has made significant strides in recent years.
Pairs with RT-CHN-007 (Zodiac), RT-CHN-043 (I-Ching), and RT-CHN-046 (Mahjong) — the traditional Chinese intellectual entertainment toolset.
Frequently Asked Questions
(1) Board: Xiangqi 9×10 + river, international 8×8. (2) Unique pieces: Xiangqi has Cannon (jump-capture), Advisors, Elephants. (3) Spatial restrictions: King confined to palace, Elephants don't cross river. (4) Win condition: checkmate the General (帥); same concept as Western "checkmate the King".
Depends on use case. Verbal commentary during a game: Chinese. Computer records and sharing with foreign players: WXF. Professional players know both.
Yes. China's 象棋大师, the international "Lichess Xiangqi", and many other apps offer good practice. This tool is a notation reference, not a playable board.
Cannon 2 to 5 (Central Cannon) is the most common and classical opening — learn it first. Then 马二进三 (Knight 2-3 supports center cannon), then 炮八平五 (Counter Central Cannon).
No. This is a notation reference, not a game database. For professional records, see xqstudio.org or 象棋大师 software.
Master / International Master / Grandmaster. The highest, "Grandmaster" (GM), has ~100 players worldwide. Singapore's Chinese Chess Association uses an ELO-like internal ranking.
Yes. Use your browser's "Print → Save as PDF". Perfect as a pocket reference card.
Of course. Women's Xiangqi is very active in mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Rankings are identical to men (no separate "Women's Master" title).
Different kinds of hard. Go has a much larger state space (10^170 vs 10^48); but Xiangqi's tactical depth (cannon/knight/chariot interactions) is also legendary. Both take 10+ years to become a master.
The 1996 WXF (World Xiangqi Federation) standard (public domain) + traditional Chinese notation. Opening names follow professional consensus.
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