Glossary
Chinese chess is played with the "chinese" equivalents of the western pieces. These pieces are:
An example:
White isn't in check by the Pao on a1, and black isn't check from the Leo on b4, since these two pieces need a hurdle to capture. Now if white plays, Leb4-e1, the black king is in check (the black Mao on e6 is the hurdle the Leo needs to capture). Black can answer this check in various ways:
(Note that if the Pao on a1 was on h1, that Lee1 is illegal!)