Abstract: Promoting sustainable development in rural Chinais atask of both theoretical and practical importance. Incorporating microeconomic, demographic, and public policyanalyses in the analytical framework for sustainable livelihood, the authors discuss in some  detail issues such as diversifying sources of income for farmers, time supply for domesticlabor, technological efficiencyand intensive agricultural production.In addition to improving the conceptual frameworkitself used in this field of research, the volume should prove useful for the country’s efforts to realize sustainable development with distinct nationalcharacteristicsin rural China.