Why start with an elephant?

The elephant controls the centre diagonally and cannot cross the river, so it creates a stable base from which Red develops the rest of the army.

Flying Elephant (Fei Xiang Ju)

相三进五（或相七进五）

Red strengthens the centre with an elephant before anything else. A famously solid, defensive opening associated with grandmaster Hu Ronghua.

Flying Elephant builds a durable fortress and avoids early tactics. It suits players who excel in positional, maneuvering games and endgames.

Black may grab the centre with 炮8平5 or 炮2平5.

Why start with an elephant?: The elephant controls the centre diagonally and cannot cross the river, so it creates a stable base from which Red develops the rest of the army.

Central Cannon 炮二平五 Screen Horses 马8进7，马2进3 Identical Cannons (Shun Pao) 炮二平五，炮8平5 Cross Cannons (Lie Pao) 炮二平五，炮2平5