In the past seventy years rural regions have undergone enormous socio-economic transformations,such as agriculture mechanization and increasing dependence from urban areas.These transformation have occurred differently across the world,in particular European countries have experienced them earlier than Eastern or African nations.Thus,the strategies adopted by Western countries with the intention to overcome the negative impact of rural transformation represent an incredible positive basins of experiences that could be used by current developing countries.As a matter of fact,according to Mintzberg,urban/rural transformations follow a cyclical process composed of three stages: development-stalemate-crisis.In particular,Western countries passed through the crisis stage in the course of the late twentieth century,while many others have just entered in the stalemate or crisis stage.So,the policies that have allowed European countries to shift rural areas from a period of crisis to a one of development are fundamental for the group of countries that are experiencing the crisis stage.As a matter of fact,the present dissertation focus on the activation of a rural area located in the Southwest of Xi’an,China.The research has focused on the possibility to translate and adapt Western rural activation experiences in the Chinese context,with the intention to provide stimulus and assistance in the modernization and revitalization of the area.The research starts with an analysis of the current situation of the select Chinese rural territory,in socio-economic,cultural,and rural transformation terms.Parallel to the research background of the territory,the investigation has focused on the importance of rural areas as the core of long-term tradition,and as an example of balanced territory in terms of relationship between man and nature.The comprehension of the Gaoxin area has allowed to understand the problematics of the areas,the opportunities,and the orientation of the villages within the territory in modernization term.Secondly,the dissertation shifts toward the research of positive Western rural activation experiences that have delt with similar issues.The investigation of these experiences has been carried out in two different scales,at territorial level and municipal one.Indeed,the importance to provide a multi-scalar approach would have assisted the creation of a reliable activation strategy for Gaoxin.The Western rural activation experiences have been selected according to specific need and orientation of the villages within the Chinese rural territory,and they have spanned from economic diversification intervention to educational program for community construction and cohesion.The Western countries that have provided the larger basins of activation experiences are France,Italy,Germany,Lithuania,and Ireland.In addition,the European program that has assisted the collection of these experiences is ENRD,which has grouped over the decades the rural activation experiences in most European countries.In addition to the Western experiences,the present study collects a series of contemporary rural activation strategies that would stimulate Gaoxin activation strategyWith the intention to create a more reliable and effective translation,the dissertation present the socio-economic development stages between European countries and China,in order to comprehend the current development stage between the two scenario.Indeed,the possibility to translate European experience in Gaoxin is determined even by the development stages in which the scenario is finding themselves.Lastly,the Western and Chinese rural activation strategies are used to reflect about an activation strategy for Gaoxin.Indeed,the whole spectrum of strategies investigated are used to create an activation model for the rural area of the eight villages.The activation model relies in the feasibility of the past experiences to experiment a possible development strategy,in accordance with the particular socio-economic situation of the area,and the development orientation of each villages.In addition,the strategy adopted to activate Gaoxin are supported by the rural renovation projects developed by XAUAT researchers.These project have been selected due to the correspondence in terms of building use renovation and activation strategy.The Gaoxin activation strategy is structured at two scale: at the territorial level,and village one.This structure allows to have a multiscale strategy development which support itself between the two scales.The strategy focus on the development of Gaoxin in multiple terms,with the purpose to provide a broad range of stimulus and possible interventions that overcome the single economic modernization perspective.The present study demonstrates that the embedded resources of Gaoxin would allow to activate the territory in a broad spectrum of alternatives.Indeed,the higher superior quality of the rural area,as well as the culture and human capital resources,allow to attract digital workers,as well as visitors in the territory.In addition,the valorisation process of Gaoxin would support the community construction within the villages,and therefore the capability of the citizens to produce themselves their own enhancement.The activation model presented in the current studies would require future investigations in order to become more effective,especially in relation to the current infrastructure status,and the current community involvement toward cooperation.