Is the xiangqi board set up the same way for both players?
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, mirrored exactly. Each side places the same seven piece types in the same relative arrangement on its own end of the board: chariots in the corners, horses and elephants inward, advisors either side of the general, cannons on the third rank, and five soldiers on the fourth. There is no asymmetry of the kind chess has with queenside and kingside castling.
Why symmetry matters for fairness
Because the setup is identical, any advantage Red has comes purely from moving first, not from a better starting arrangement. This keeps the opening theory comparatively simple to state: whatever Red does with the first move, Black can mirror or answer with an equivalent structure.
What actually differs between the sides
Only the characters printed on the pieces: 帥/將, 仕/士, 相/象, 傌/馬, 俥/車, 炮/砲, 兵/卒. These are cosmetic, letting you tell the armies apart at a glance, and every pair moves identically.
Related questions
Does Red get an extra piece?
No. Both sides start with exactly sixteen pieces of the same seven types.
Is there a rule about which side of the table each player sits?
No fixed rule; the board itself is symmetric, and only who plays Red is decided by draw or pairing.
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