Coupling exogenous and endogenous forces in rural revitalization: a village-scale coordination diagnostic in Fujian, China

This study addresses two persistent challenges in China’s rural revitalization: difficulty in reading village development dynamics and reliance on homogeneous governance toolkits. We propose a New Endogenous–Coupling diagnostic lens translating neo-endogenous development into village-scale measurement tools, conceptualizing development as interaction between exogenous enabling conditions and endogenous capacities. A village-scale diagnostic framework combines AHP weighting, subsystem efficacy scoring, and a coupling–coordination index across a holistic–dynamic–elemental logic. Applied to 22 villages in Changtai District, Fujian Province using multi-source planning, administrative, spatial data and field verification. Exogenous conditions exceed endogenous capacity in 12/22 villages; exogenous systems are production-oriented, while endogenous strengths concentrate in industry/resource activation, with weaker organizational and cultural capacities. Most villages are transitional-to-coordinated; however, balanced subsystem scores do not guarantee high coordination when both are constrained. Four governance types emerge: exogenous-led, endogenous-led, synchronous, and low-coordination villages. Policy toolbox supports capability conversion, targeted enabling, bottleneck adjustment, and triage, improving goal–instrument fit and reducing homogenized interventions.