The general in xiangqi
The general is the piece you must protect in xiangqi. It moves one point in a straight line and can never leave its palace. Lose the general and you lose the game. English players sometimes call this piece the king.
Updated 10 September 2026
How the general moves
The general moves and captures one point orthogonally, meaning up, down, left, or right. The general never moves diagonally. Because its steps are so short, the general depends on other pieces for defence.
Staying in the palace
The general can never leave its 3 by 3 palace. The same limit applies to the red general and the black general. The palace keeps the general safe, but it also makes the general easy to trap.
The flying general rule
The two generals can never face each other on an open file with no piece between them. Players call this the flying general rule. Either player breaks the rule by opening that file, so the move is illegal for both.
Tips for playing the general
Keep an advisor or an elephant near your general at all times. Watch the open files near your general for an enemy chariot or cannon. A safe general often wins a long game.
Questions and answers
How does the general move in xiangqi?
The general moves one point orthogonally, up, down, left, or right. It can never leave its own 3 by 3 palace. Unlike the advisor, the general never moves diagonally.
What happens if the general has no safe move?
The general's player loses if no piece can move to stop a capture of the general. This same loss also happens if the player has no legal move at all. Stalemate is a loss in xiangqi, just like checkmate.
Why do the two generals never face each other?
The flying general rule keeps them apart. The generals can never stand on an open file with no piece between them. In the classical rule, one general may cross the board and capture the other, so opening that file is a move into check.