How many cannons does each side start with in xiangqi?
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
Two, one per side of the board, placed on the third rank directly in front of the horses. Because the fourth rank soldiers leave gaps and nothing else sits in front of them, both cannons start with a completely open line straight across the board, which is why a cannon move is so often the very first move of a game.
Why the third rank specifically
Any closer and the cannons would sit among the other back-rank pieces with no line; any farther and they would be mixed in with the soldiers. The third rank is the one position that gives both cannons an unobstructed line all the way to the enemy's own third rank, ready to be pointed at the centre with a single move.
A quick way to check a setup is correct
If a cannon cannot see all the way to the opposite third rank at the start of the game, the board has been set up wrong somewhere, usually a soldier or horse placed on the wrong file. See how to set up a xiangqi board for the full layout.
Related questions
Do both cannons start on the same rank?
Yes, both on the third rank, one on each side of the board.
Is losing one cannon early especially costly?
Moderately, since two cannons can combine into 重炮; losing one removes that specific attacking option, though the game is far from over.
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