Xiangqi game records look like code at first: "C2=5, H8+7". In fact every move has four parts, read in order: which piece, which file it starts on, which direction, and a final number. Once you can read them, you can set up any opening, checkmate or famous game from a book. The move list on this site uses exactly this notation, called WXF notation. Chinese books use the same system with Chinese characters, which we cover at the end.
File numbers first
The nine vertical lines of the board are called files. Red and Black each count from their own right-hand side, 1 to 9. The bottom edge of the diagram shows Red's file numbers, the top edge shows Black's (see the xiangqi board for more).
Four parts: piece, start file, direction, number
Take the most common opening move, C2=5:
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| C | the piece moving is a cannon |
| 2 | the cannon is now on Red's file 2 |
| = | it moves sideways (neither forward nor back) |
| 5 | it goes to file 5 |
The piece letters are K general (king), A advisor, E elephant, H horse, R chariot (rook), C cannon and P soldier (pawn). There are only three directions: + advance (towards the opponent), - retreat (towards yourself) and = traverse (sideways). It is the same for both sides: + always means moving towards the other player.
What the last number means
This is where most people get stuck. There is only one rule:
- Pieces that move straight (chariot, cannon, soldier, general): when they advance or retreat, the number is how many steps they moved.
- Pieces that move diagonally (horse, elephant, advisor): whether advancing or retreating, the number is the file they land on.
- When traversing (=), the number is always the file the piece lands on.
Straight examples: Red's chariot on file 1 of the back rank moves three steps forward: R1+3. The cannon moves four steps forward: C2+4.
Diagonal examples: a horse jumping from file 8 to file 7 is H8+7, not H8+2. An elephant flying from file 7 to file 5 is E7+5, and an advisor stepping from file 6 up to file 5 is A6+5.
Retreating works the same way. A chariot moving two steps back is R9-2, and moving sideways gives the destination file:
Two identical pieces on one file: front and rear
If two identical pieces stand on the same file (say, two cannons stacked on the centre file), "C5" doesn't tell you which one moved. Then + (front) or - (rear) replaces the file number: the one nearer the opponent is the front piece, the one nearer you is the rear piece.
Soldiers can stack three on one file. Then they are numbered from the front, and the number comes before the file instead of the letter:
If soldiers are stacked on two files, "front soldier" alone is ambiguous again, so the same position number plus the file is used:
Advisors and elephants never need front and rear: even if two of them share a file, one can only advance and the other only retreat, so the + or - already tells them apart.
Chinese notation
Chinese books and websites write the exact same four parts with Chinese characters. Red's file numbers are Chinese numerals (一 to 九), Black's are digits (1 to 9), and the directions are 進 (advance), 退 (retreat) and 平 (traverse). Front and rear are 前 and 後.
| WXF | Chinese | WXF | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | 帥 (Red) / 將 (Black) | + | 進 |
| A | 仕 / 士 | - | 退 |
| E | 相 / 象 | = | 平 |
| H | 馬 | + (after the letter) | 前 |
| R | 車 | - (after the letter) | 後 |
| C | 炮 / 砲 | ||
| P | 兵 / 卒 |
So:
- C2=5 → 炮二平五
- H8+7 (Black) → 馬８進７
- R1+3 → 車一進三
- C+=6 → 前炮平六
Learn one system and the other is just a change of alphabet. Switch the site to 繁體中文 or 简体中文 and the move list shows the Chinese version.
FAQ
Why do Chinese records use Chinese numerals for Red and digits for Black?
So you can tell at a glance whose move it is: in a Chinese record, "二" is always Red's file and "2" is always Black's. WXF uses digits for both, and you tell the sides apart by move order.
Does the 7 in H8+7 mean seven steps?
No. The horse, elephant and advisor move diagonally, so the last number is the file they land on. Only the chariot, cannon, soldier and general moving straight count steps.
Which way is "advance" for Black?
Towards Red, which is down on the diagram. + always means towards the opponent and - always means towards yourself.
Which one is the "front cannon"?
When two cannons share a file, the one nearer the opponent is the front cannon (C+) and the one nearer you is the rear cannon (C-).
Try it yourself
The best practice: play xiangqi online and glance at the move list after every move, matching it to what you just played. Once you can read it, move on to common openings and set them up yourself. To learn about the game from the beginning, go back to the Chinese chess home page.
