Characteristics and evolutionary mechanisms of China’s rural talent flow network, 1978–2017

This paper uses complex network analysis tools to construct China’s rural talent flow network since the Reform and Opening-up, analyze its evolutionary characteristics during the period of 1978–2017, and explore its evolutionary mechanisms. The results show that: (1) In temporal terms, rural talent flows can be divided into four stages: an exploratory stage, a rapid growth stage, a stage of agglomeration growth, and a stage of complexity. (2) The rural talent flow network has evolved from sparse to dense, with gradually strengthening network connections. Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin have traditionally been the central nodes in the rural talent flow network, but new central nodes are constantly emerging. (3) The rural talent flow network has gradually evolved from a loose local structure to a comprehensive network with urban agglomerations as nodal regions. (4) The agglomeration and diffusion centers of the rural talent flow network exhibit obvious spatial directionality, and the core geographic units of rural talent flow show significant spatial differentiation. (5) Spatial proximity, knowledge proximity, institutional proximity, and information proximity are the most important driving forces in the evolution of the rural talent flow network.