---
title: "What Is the Central Cannon (中炮) in Xiangqi? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "The Central Cannon is 炮二平五, moving a cannon to the central file to attack the opposing general through the central soldiers."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-the-central-cannon
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# What is the Central Cannon 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
>
> The **Central Cannon** (中炮) is the move **炮二平五** — swinging a cannon onto the central file so it aims at the enemy general with only the two central soldiers in between. It is the **most played first move in the game** and creates an immediate threat Black must answer.

## Why it is so common

It is the fastest way to create a real threat. The central file holds the enemy general, and the starting position already supplies screens, so the cannon is doing work from the moment it arrives. It also sets the agenda: Black has to respond rather than choose freely.

## What Black does about it

The main answer is **Screen Horses** (屏風馬): 馬8進7 defends the central soldier and develops a piece with the same move. That pairing — Central Cannon against Screen Horses — is the most common opening combination in xiangqi and is where most players should start.

## Related questions

Is the Central Cannon best for beginners?

It is the best *first* opening to learn, because it teaches attacking play faster than anything else.

What if Black also plays a central cannon?

Then you get 順炮 or 列炮 depending on which side it comes from. See [same direction cannons](https://xiangqimaster.com/openings/same-direction-cannons).

## Related xiangqi resources

The Central Cannon

The most played first move in the game

Screen Horses

The main defence to the Central Cannon

Same direction cannons

順炮 — the sharpest symmetrical opening

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