Knowledge Structures, Thematic Characteristics, and Evolutionary Trajectories of Rural Revitalization Design in China and Abroad Over the Past Thirty Years (1996–2026)

Abstract

Against the backdrop of global rural revitalization and sustainable development, design has evolved beyond mere formal aesthetics to engage deeply with rural spatial optimization, cultural preservation, industrial upgrading, and social governance, emerging as a pivotal force in driving the reconstruction of rural value. This study employs CiteSpace to conduct a bibliometric analysis of relevant literature from core Chinese and international journals, systematically examining the knowledge structures, thematic characteristics, and evolutionary trajectories of domestic and international research through a comparative analysis of author and institutional collaboration networks, as well as keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and burst detection. The findings reveal that over the past three decades, Chinese research has exhibited a distinctly practice-oriented disposition, concentrating on rural landscape design, tourism development, traditional village conservation, and art-driven rural construction, with particular emphasis on the tangible efficacy of design in spatial renewal, cultural translation, and industry linkage. In contrast, international research adopts a problem-driven and empirically grounded approach, drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives to transcend spatial construction itself and explore the effects of rural environments on health and well-being, community participation, social equity, ecological resilience, and sustainable development, thereby developing an integrative analytical framework connecting environmental systems, social systems, and individual behavior. Overall, both Chinese and international scholarship are shifting from singular physical-spatial planning toward comprehensive rural approaches to governance and value enhancement. Chinese research excels in grounding local practice and integrating experiential knowledge, while international research demonstrates strength in uncovering underlying mechanisms and conducting micro-level empirical validation — the two thus forming a complementary relationship. Future research should break down disciplinary and geographical boundaries, fostering deep integration among practical exploration, cultural innovation, health assessment, behavioral science, and digital technology to advance rural revitalization design from experience-based practice toward a systematic, scientifically rigorous, and sustainable body of knowledge.