The　traditional　Chinese　Kang　heating　system　can　effectively　utilize　the　waste　heat　of　cooking　for　heating　and　has　been　widely　used　in　rural　areas.　However,　this　system　may　cause　severe　air　pollution　since　it　is　heated　by　directly　burning　coal　and　biomass　fuel.　The　promotion　and　utilization　of　clean　heating　technology　are　therefore　attracting　more　and　more　attention.　In　this　research,　a　capillary　radiation　heating　terminals　was　proposed　to　reform　the　traditional　Chinese　Kang　system.　Both　air-source　heat　pump　and　solar　energy　were　used　as　heat　source　for　the　system.　An　experimental　bench　was　set　up,　and　a　series　of　tests　were　conducted　to　validate　the　feasibility　of　the　system.　The　experimental　results　have　shown　that　when　the　temperature　of　the　supplied　water　reaches　to　40 °C,　the　indoor　air　temperature　can　satisfy　the　thermal　environment　need　of　residents.　The　solar　energy　can　be　used　for　about　3.5–4.5 h　per　day　when　the　daily　average　solar　radiation　is　greater　than　2000 Wh m–2 d–1.　These　results　may　lead　to　the　development　of　designing　and　distributing　the　solar　energy　for　building　heating　during　winter.　©　2020,　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.