Xiangqiisatwo-playerChineseboardgameinthesamefamilyasWesternchess.Thepresent-dayformofXiangqioriginatedinChinaandisthereforecommonlycalledChinesechessinEnglish.ThefirstcharacterXiangherehasthemeaningimageorrepresentational,henceXiangqicanbeliterallytranslatedasrepresentationalchess.ThegameissometimescalledelephantchessafteranalternativemeaningofXiangaselephant.
Xiangqihasalonghistory.Thoughitspreciseoriginshavenotyetbeenconfirmed,theearliestliteraryreferencecomesfromthe9thcentury.
Xiangqiisoneofthemostpopularboardgamesintheworld.DistinctivefeaturesofXiangqiincludetheuniquemovementofthepao(cannon)piece,aruleprohibitingthegenerals(similartochesskings)fromfacingeachotherdirectly,andtheriverandpalaceboardfeatures,whichrestrictthemovementofsomepieces.
