Rural development has emerged as a critical planning concern since the Chinese government's announcement of its rural revitalization strategy. Prioritizing urban development and industrialization over the past 70 years has created a significant urban-rural divide, evident in policies, living standards, and the built environment. The rural revitalization strategy aims to address this divide by promoting the creation of “beautiful countryside” and reconfiguring the relationship between urban and rural areas. This study investigates the rural regeneration plan implemented in Dazhen, a rural township in Foshan, to examine how Chinese planners interpreted the revitalization strategies and attempted to improve the rural areas' relative status to urban areas. This study highlights that the rural revitalization process is complex and long-term, and the current rural planning approach alone is too superficial to tackle the deep-rooted urban-rural divide. It is crucial to adopt an integrated approach that addresses economic, social, and environmental factors while also empowering and involving rural residents in preserving their unique cultural heritage.