This study examines the impact of China’s evolving rural tourism policies on the advancement of rural tourism within the nation. The analysis spans the period from 2006 to 2022 and encompasses several crucial aspects: The entities accountable for policy formulation, frequently utilized keywords, and the establishment of an analytical framework termed “policy instrument-policy target”. The findings revealed that China's rural tourism policies derive influence from a multitude of departments, highlighting a polycentric approach. Leading contributors include the State Council, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as other policy-formulating bodies, which have gradually attained heightened levels of coordination. Furthermore, the prevalent keywords prevalent in China's rural tourism policies have undergone evolution, initially focusing on rural infrastructure development, rural services, leisure, and rural culture. Notably, incentive-based strategies and capacity-building tools hold significant importance among the frequently employed approaches. The deployed policy instruments have highlighted adaptability, effectively catering to the diverse stages of rural tourism development. Aligned with China's quintet of targets for rural revitalization, the primary objective in advancing rural tourism remains the cultivation of thriving businesses and overall prosperity. It is found that aspects such as social etiquette, effective governance, and civility have progressively gained prominence in the evolutionary trajectory of rural tourism offering valuable insights into the development of rural tourism in China.