China has adopted a dual urban-rural administration system for many years which gives far more attention to cities than to rural areas. Designated as a National Comprehensive Reform Experiment Area for Coordinated Urban-Rural Development, Chengdu is one of several areas in China where the practice of rural planning was fi rstly carried out. After the earthquakes in Wenchuan in 2008 and Lushan in 2013, the post-disaster reconstruction further enriched the local capabilities of rural planning and management. The practice of Chengdu demonstrates that the success of rural planning and management depends on two aspects, a well-organized and well-developed legal systems and institutions and bottom-up selfadministration of local residents which incorporates the social relationships of local communities based on clan and blood kinships. This paper introduces the positive experience of Chengdu in rural planning and management that could be benefi cial for other areas in the country. China has adopted a dual urban-rural administration system for many years which gives far more attention to cities than to rural areas. Designated as a National Comprehensive Reform Experiment Area for Coordinated Urban-Rural Development, Chengdu is one of several areas in China where the the After the earthquakes in Wenchuan in 2008 and Lushan in 2013, the post-disaster reconstruction further enriched the local capabilities of rural planning and management. The practice of Chengdu demonstrates that the success of rural planning and management depends on two aspects, a well-organized and well-developed legal systems and institutions and bottom-up selfadministration of local residents which incorporates the social relationships of local communities based on clan and blood kinships. This paper introduces the positive experience of Chengdu in rural planning and management that could be benefi cial for other areas in the country.