Varied rural dreams? External elites' conception of rurality and their influence on the production of rural space in China's rural revitalization
研究中国乡村振兴背景下，外部精英如何通过其构想的乡村性及实践（如关系、政策、土地等）生产新的乡村空间，揭示了精英活动导致社区能力缺失和社会空间隔离的问题。
The study focuses on how external elites produce new rural spaces through their conceived rurality and related practices within the context of China's rural revitalization efforts in declining rural areas. For this purpose, purposive sampling and in-depth interviews were conducted amongst external elites, town-level officials, and village participants at Dashuipo Town, a rural area where elites are introduced through government mediations, university platforms, and established elite networks. The study develops Halfacree's and Frisvoll's conceptualization of the production of rural space by incorporating elements specific to the Chinese context: guanxi, rural revitalization policies, and gentry culture. The study identifies six types of rurality conceived by external elites: experimental site, idyllic rural life, like-minded community, production site, sustainable development, and rural tourism. These ruralities are translated into new rural spaces through immaterial (guanxi, rural revitalization policies), material (land use rights, money), and personal practices (career, family, lifestyle pursuits), with gentry culture impacting immaterial and personal practices. While these practices have created improved infrastructure, cultural initiatives, and economic opportunities, the study reveals the lack of community capacity building and social-spatial segregation between external elites and local communities. The findings suggest that the activities of external elites in Dashuipo reflect a uniquely Chinese, state-embedded, production-oriented rural gentrification process, where governments, anchor institutions, and elites work closely together to achieve their respective goals. The study concludes by recommending the development of more effective collaboration mechanisms to engage local communities and build their capacity, thus contributing to more equitable and sustainable rural development.