How many pieces are there in xiangqi?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws for movement, checkmate and both repetition rulings: a side that forces a repetition by perpetual check or perpetual chase loses rather than drawing. The chase half has not been validated against the official casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it before publishing.
Direct answer
32 pieces, 16 each. Per side: one general, two advisors, two elephants, two horses, two chariots, two cannons, and five soldiers. The five soldiers are the count that surprises people — chess has eight pawns, and they are not arranged the same way.
The full list
- 1 general (帥 red / 將 black) — confined to the palace
- 2 advisors (仕 / 士) — confined to the palace
- 2 elephants (相 / 象) — never cross the river
- 2 horses (傌 / 馬) — blockable, never jump
- 2 chariots (俥 / 車) — the strongest pieces
- 2 cannons (炮 / 砲) — capture by jumping a screen
- 5 soldiers (兵 / 卒) — on alternating files, with gaps
Why the two sides use different characters
Red and black always write five pieces with different characters: 帥/將, 仕/士, 相/象, 炮/砲, 兵/卒. Many sets also distinguish the horse and chariot (傌/馬, 俥/車). Some pairs sound the same, but 帥/將 and 兵/卒 do not. It is a convention for telling the sides apart at a glance, not a difference in how they move.
Related questions
Why five soldiers and not eight?
They sit on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th files with gaps between them, on the fourth rank, one rank back from the river. The gaps are why cannons have such open lines at the start.
How many points are on the board?
90. Nine files by ten ranks, and pieces occupy the intersections rather than the spaces.
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