Symbiotic Governance Mechanisms for Revitalizing Idle Rural Homesteads: A Systems Perspective on Rural Operational Dynamics

The revitalization of idle rural homesteads constitutes a key policy instrument for promoting rural revitalization and enhancing rural household income. However, existing studies predominantly adopt a single-actor or policy-instrument perspective and lack a systematic examination of the complex coupling relationships among multiple actors, resource endowments, and institutional environments. Adopting a rural operational perspective, this study explores how internal and external elements interact to reshape rural systems and identifies the configurational paths through which multiple actors’ behavioral logics drive efficient idle homestead revitalization. Drawing on symbiosis theory, we constructed a systemic analytical framework. A mixed-methods design combining fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis and case studies of 35 typical villages in Zhejiang Province was employed. The findings reveal that (1) there exist four equifinal high-performance paths—market-driven, government-led, multi-actor co-governance, and endogenous development; (2) efficient revitalization does not rely on any single actor but depends on the dynamic alignment between actor behavioral logics, resource endowments, and the institutional environment; and (3) a robust policy environment can compensate for resource endowment deficiencies, whereas superior resource conditions allow for optimal efficiency, even with streamlined actor participation. Theoretically, this study extends symbiosis theory to the field of rural governance. Practically, it offers transferable governance solutions for Global South countries confronting rural decline and addressing rural poverty.