The cannon in xiangqi
The cannon captures in a special way in xiangqi. It moves like the chariot, but it must jump exactly one piece to capture. That jumped piece is called the screen.
Updated 10 September 2026
How the cannon moves
The cannon moves any distance in a straight line, just like the chariot. That straight-line move applies only when the cannon is not capturing. Without a jump, the cannon cannot capture at all.
The screen rule
To capture, the cannon must jump exactly one piece, of either colour, along its line of attack. That jumped piece is called the screen, 炮臺 in Chinese. Any number of empty points may lie between the cannon, the screen, and the target. With no screen, or with two or more pieces in the way, the cannon cannot capture.
Tips for playing the cannon
Place a cannon behind a friendly piece to set up a future capture. Watch which enemy pieces can serve as a screen for your own cannons. A cannon with no screen nearby often has less attacking power.
Questions and answers
How does the cannon capture in xiangqi?
The cannon must jump exactly one piece to capture, no matter its colour. That jumped piece is called the screen. Without a screen in the path, the cannon cannot capture anything.
Can a cannon move without capturing?
The cannon can move any distance in a straight line without capturing, just like the chariot. The screen rule applies only to captures. A cannon with no screen can still move freely.
What happens if two pieces sit between a cannon and its target?
The cannon cannot capture across two or more pieces in its path. A capture needs exactly one screen piece, no more and no less. Extra pieces in the way block the capture completely.