A backlighting system is developed for Z-pinch experiments that is composed of a pulsed X-ray generator (the backlighter), a scintillator, an optical module, and an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD). By optimizing the geometrical layout, choosing the appropriate scintillator, and optimizing the parameters of the optical module, the system is successfully designed. The key properties of the system are theoretically calculated based on parameters of the X-rays and the scintillator. Calculation results of sensitivity show that the amount of scintillator fluorescence falls in the linear dynamic range of the ICCD. Spatial resolution is calculated to be 241 µm, which is mainly determined by the geometrical layout and the size of the X-ray focal spot. Temporal resolution is calculated to be 2.3 ns, which is mainly determined by the decay time of the scintillator. Calculation results indicate that the properties of the system meet the requirements of the Z-pinch capsule diagnostics. The system has been fabricated. Performance of the system is tested through static W wire experiments in the laboratory. Experimental results show that 250-µm W wire is clearly seen in the image when X-ray fluence is high, while 100-µm W wire cannot be seen.