---
title: "Can the General Use the Palace Corners in Xiangqi? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Yes. The general may occupy all nine palace points, moving one point orthogonally. The corners are reachable, just not diagonally."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/can-the-general-move-into-the-corner-of-the-palace
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# Can the general stand on any of the nine palace points?

These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.

> Direct answer
>
> **Yes, all nine.** The general can occupy any point in its palace, corners included — it just cannot move *diagonally* to get there. Reaching a corner takes two orthogonal steps rather than one diagonal one. The advisor is the piece that moves diagonally, and it reaches only five of the nine points.

## Corners are often the safe points

The central file of the palace is where cannons and chariots aim, so a general on a corner point is frequently safer than one in the middle. Having that option available — a spare point the general can actually reach — is a real defensive asset.

## Two steps takes two moves

Because the journey is orthogonal, the general is slow inside its own palace. In a sharp attack, the difference between a general that is already on a useful point and one that needs two moves to get there is often the difference between surviving and not.

## Related questions

How many points does an advisor reach?

Five: the four corners and the centre.

Is the starting point the best point?

Not necessarily. It sits on the central file, which is where most attacks come from.

## Related xiangqi resources

How the general moves

One point orthogonally, never leaves the palace

How the advisor moves

One point diagonally, five points in total

Advisors and elephants

The defence that decides most endgames

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