Janggi vs Xiangqi: Every Difference
Janggi (Korean chess) and xiangqi (Chinese chess) look alike at first glance: the same 9 × 10 board of intersections, the same seven kinds of piece, palaces with diagonals. Play one game and the differences jump out. This page lists all of them, so a xiangqi player can pick up janggi in an evening and vice versa. Janggi Club plays both rule sets; you choose before each game.
The differences at a glance
| Janggi (Korea) | Xiangqi (China) | |
|---|---|---|
| River | None | Divides the board; elephants cannot cross it |
| Starting position of the general | Palace centre | Back rank, palace centre file |
| Horse and elephant setup | Four arrangements, chosen before the game | Fixed |
| Chariot in the palace | Moves along the diagonals | Straight lines only |
| Cannon move | Must jump one piece to move and to capture | Moves like a chariot; jumps one piece only to capture |
| Cannon restrictions | Cannot jump or capture a cannon | Can jump and capture anything |
| Elephant | One straight + two diagonal; whole board | Two diagonal; blocked by the "eye"; own side only |
| Advisor | One step along any palace line | One diagonal step only |
| Soldier | Forward or sideways from the start | Forward only until it crosses the river |
| Generals facing | Allowed; it is a bikjang claim, scored on points | Illegal (flying general) |
| Passing | Allowed when not in check | Not allowed |
| No legal move, not in check | Draw | Loss (stalemate loses) |
| Perpetual check | Three consecutive checks with repetition loses | Forbidden; the checker must vary |
| Scoring | Point values decide bikjang and repetition | No points |
| Piece shape | Octagonal, sizes differ by piece | Round, same size |
How the games feel different
Because janggi has no river and the elephant is a long-range piece, the early game is more open and material trades happen sooner. The janggi cannon is weaker on an empty board (it needs a screen even to move) but deadly in a crowded palace, where the centre point becomes a screen for diagonal jumps.
Xiangqi endgames are sharper: the flying-general rule and the loss on stalemate create mating patterns that simply do not exist in janggi, where a player can always pass. Janggi endgames instead become a counting exercise, and forcing bikjang while ahead on points is a standard winning technique.
Switching from one to the other
- Xiangqi players learning janggi: remember that your cannon cannot move without a screen, that the enemy elephant can reach your palace, and that facing generals is a threat you must answer, not an illegal move.
- Janggi players learning xiangqi: your advisor only moves diagonally, your elephant stops at the river, you can never pass, and running out of moves loses.
In Janggi Club the rules switch changes the board (the river appears, the general moves to the back rank), the piece characters and every rule above, so you can play either game against the AI without a second app.
Questions
Which is older, janggi or xiangqi?
Both descend from the same medieval game. Xiangqi in its current form is documented earlier; janggi diverged in Korea, and its distinctive rules such as passing and bikjang are attested by the Joseon period.
Is janggi harder than xiangqi?
Neither is harder to learn. Janggi is more forgiving in the endgame because you can pass; xiangqi has more forced mating patterns.
Can I use a xiangqi set to play janggi?
Yes, but the board should have no river and the pieces need the Korean general and soldier characters. Most players simply use an app.
Updated 2026-09-25. Rules as played by the Janggi Club engine.