The Chinese government has implemented multiple policies and development plans to stimulate economic growth in mountainous villages through external drivers. However, the absence of endogenous drivers continues to hinder development progress, often posing challenges to poverty alleviation efforts. This study adopts a comprehensive research methodology, including field surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, and data analysis, to conduct a three-year longitudinal study on the self-owned industries of 12 ancient villages in Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The aim is to explore the potential patterns of inter-industry cooperation and linkage within these villages. The findings suggest that collaboration among core, related, and radiating industries can enhance regional economic development through the creation of industrial synergies and the generation of local employment opportunities. Based on these findings, this study proposes an endogenous development model for industry linkage in mountainous villages to promote self-sustaining growth and reduce dependence on external factors. Specifically, this model highlights inter-village and inter-industry linkages as a strategy to achieve coordinated development and strengthen collaborative networks among rural communities. The study advances the theoretical framework of mountainous village development models and provides practical insights for the sustainable development of such regions.
Zhang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.