Abstract: Under the strategic framework of rural revitalization, new local elites are not only one of the key actors in governance but also a crucial component of talent-driven revitalization. The participation of new local elites in rural governance helps activate the endogenous momentum of rural areas, optimize governance structures, enhance governance efficiency, and ultimately advance the process of rural revitalization. A “Z District New Local Elites' Participation in Rural Governance” model is constructed on the basis of the contemporary context of the rural revitalization strategy and employing grounded theory methodology for in-depth exploration. Through three modules— “Conditions” “Paths” and “Outcomes” —the study reveals the internal mechanism through which new local elites in Zone Z participate in rural governance by leveraging their inherent conditions and driven by both internal and external factors; they then embed their advantages—such as capabilities and resources—into governance practices via various organizational communication paradigms, thereby achieving significant outcomes across various aspects of rural development.

Key words: new local elites, rural governance, grounded theory, rural revitalization