In the Spring and Autumn Period, appliances began to be used to burn charcoal for heating. The name of the appliance was Liao stove. The stove is usually equipped with a charcoal dustpan, which is used to transfer the fire and add charcoal. However, people at this time were much smarter, and the method of keeping warm from the cold was not just burning charcoal for heating. During the Qin Dynasty, "fireplaces" and "fire walls" appeared in nobles and palaces for heating. Archaeologists found three fireplaces next to the bathing pool at the Xianyang Palace ruins, two of which were used for bathrooms. The third floor was close to the largest room, which should have been used exclusively by Emperor Qin. Charcoal is mainly used in the fireplace to keep out the cold, and the smoke outlet is placed outdoors to avoid poisoning by charcoal smoke. In addition, the fire wall method was also discovered in the ruins of Qin Xingle Palace, which used two interlocking tiles to make a pipe wrapped on the inside of the wall and connected with the stove. It already had the prototype of a fire kang and heating.

In the Qin and Han Dynasties, rooms that could adjust the indoor temperature in winter appeared, and they were called "temperature-adjusted rooms". The "warm tone" in the phrase "Chaotang extends to the east, and warm tone extends to the north" in "Ode to Xijing" by Zhang Heng, a scientist of the Eastern Han Dynasty, refers to this kind of warm-tempered room. At that time, most noble families had such rooms, and the royal family was no exception. The royal temperature-controlled room is larger and more advanced, and is called the "temperature-controlled palace". In winter, Wen Tiao Hall was the residence of the emperor, the queen mother, the empress and his concubines. It was also the place where the emperor held discussions with his core officials and received important guests. What makes a room warm? There is a saying that "use pepper as mud to paint the room". According to the "Han Gong Yi", "The queen calls the pepper room, and uses pepper to coat the room to keep it warm and eliminate bad odors." At that time, Zanthoxylum bungeanum was regarded as a cold-proof and thermal insulation material. It was pounded and muddy to make wall insulation. The walls of Jiaofang Hall are also hung with brocade tapestries, the floor is covered with thick tribute blankets from the Western Regions, fire screens are set up, and wild goose feathers are used as curtains. Living in such a room, you will naturally not feel cold in winter. This luxurious thermal construction method was also imitated by later generations. According to "Shishuo Xinyu", Shi Chong, the richest man in the country in the Western Jin Dynasty, "used peppers as mud to paint his room."

The ancients did not have modern electric heaters, and the main heating tools were braziers and stoves. Among them, hand stoves, foot stoves, and smokers were the most commonly used heating appliances in winter by ancient Chinese. A hand stove is a small stove used to warm hands. It is exquisite and has various shapes. It contains hot coals or stove ashes with residual heat and a cover outside the stove. Hand stoves can even be placed in sleeves to warm hands, and are also called hand warmers and fire cages. During the Ming Dynasty, the styles of hand stoves began to become more diverse, and they became more compact and could be placed in the sleeve. During the Ming Dynasty, people became more and more aware of enjoyment and health care. In addition to placing charcoal ash for heating, they also put some aromatherapy and medicinal materials in the hand stove. The hand stove gradually became a work of art played by the nobles, and the materials and workmanship gradually became more sophisticated.

In the Song Dynasty, there was also a special kind of warm appliance called "Tang Laozi", also known as "Mrs. Xi", "Tang Lao" and "Ji Lao", which was similar to a hot water bottle. It is usually an ellipsoid-shaped or pumpkin-shaped bottle made of tin or copper, with a cap on the top opening. Hot water is poured in through this opening and placed under the quilt before going to bed.

The smoker is a fire storage device made of clay or copper and iron. The ones used in the palace are generally made of copper and have exquisite workmanship. Among the people, they are mostly made of clay and iron. Smokers, also known as warm stoves and red stoves, are specially designed for indoor use. Bai Juyi, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, called the fumigation stove "the farewell stove". There is a poem that goes: "Spring has just arrived in the Nuange Pavilion, and the warmth of the stove is gradually declining. The evening wind is still cold, and the night fire is left to watch. Staying alone together for a long time, there are many Don't worry about lust. Who can listen to the words of heaven and keep away the four seasons of coldness?"

In addition, there will be a fumigation cage in the room. The origin of the fumigation cage is difficult to verify. The smoker cage is divided into two parts: a basin and a cage. It is very exquisitely made. The large smoker cage weighs hundreds of kilograms and is more than one meter high. Some are even made of gilded bronze or enamel.