Sustainable rural development: differentiated paths to achieve rural revitalization with case of Western China

Rural Revitalization (RR) is a key national strategy in China aimed at sustainable rural development and has gained significant attention. Given the unique characteristics of different villages, understanding differentiated paths to achieve RR is essential. This study introduces a new "5I Framework" (INDUS-INHAB-INDOC-INFRA-INCOM) to assess RR's overall development status (ODS) and differentiated paths. Then, using western China as a case, this study employs entropy weight, the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS), fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), and hierarchical clustering to categorize differentiated RR paths into "4L Category" (Lots-Learning-Labor-Living). Context-specific recommendations are provided for each category. "5I" and "4L" are derived from their initial letters for easier recall and global dissemination. Our findings reveal ODS's temporal fluctuations between Acceptable and Good Grades (0.3 and 0.6), with Chongqing's villages showing a downward trend (from 0.439 to 0.407); the findings also reveal spatial differences in ODS, as northern villages generally score higher due to distinct characteristics. Seven differentiated paths to RR are identified, highlighting varying dimensions essential for RR success: INFRA is crucial across all high ODS paths, while INHAB and INDOC are not always central. Besides, these paths are grouped into four clusters via hierarchical clustering, indicating that RR can be achieved by integrating "lots" of aspects, enhancing "learning" and cultural status among residents, requiring villagers' "labor" to support agriculture, or improving the "living" environment. The clustered categories enhance the applicability of our proposed countermeasures in similar contexts. The "5I Framework" facilitates theoretical understanding and evaluation of RR, while the "4L Category" underpinned by the "5I Framework" promotes effective implementation practices-both representing innovations of this study.