A guzheng is about 1.63 m long, its soundboard is a thin layer of paulownia, and the bridges simply stand on the board held by string pressure and friction. The usual damage in transit is not a smashed body but a compressed soundboard, knocked-over bridges, or a crack caused by lifting the wrong point. Handling each scenario separately avoids most of it.
Before moving: three things. For a short move (same city, up and down stairs) you can leave the strings at pitch, but note or photograph the bridge positions so you can restore them; for long-distance shipping, slacken the strings moderately and remove the bridges into a separate bag to reduce load on the board; put it in its case — the case protects against scuffs and knocks, not against a drop.
Lifting: support the base, never grab the tuning pins. Two people are safest: one at the head, one at the tail, hands under the body and on the solid sides. Do not lift by the tuning pins, the bridges or the edge of the soundboard — pins deform and go out of tune, and the board edge is the thinnest part and cracks easily. Moving it alone over a short distance, hold the middle of the body against you rather than dragging it by the head.
Stairs and lifts: watch corners and door frames. At 1.63 m, stair turns are where knocks happen. Turn the instrument upright, head up, and coordinate front and back; before entering a lift, check the cabin diagonal — angled entry usually works. Mind the height at doorways so the head does not hit the lintel.
Long distance: hard case plus padding, no compression. Use a rigid case, fill the gaps with foam or soft material so the instrument cannot move inside, and never let the soundboard side take direct pressure. Mark the outside "this way up, fragile, musical instrument". On arrival, do not open and tune immediately: let it sit indoors for a few hours to reach room temperature, then open and inspect, so condensation does not form directly on the board.
Gigs: use a mini when you can. If you perform or teach away from home often, a 1 to 1.3 m mini is far easier to carry, and models whose string layout matches the standard can be used for practice and smaller performances. If you must take a full-size instrument, prefer a hard case with wheels to reduce manual lifting.
For batch shipping to a school, ensemble or institution, send us the quantity, destination and delivery date and we will arrange packing, transport and acceptance on arrival.