Abstract: Characteristic development is an essential requirement for rural areas in the transition from poverty alleviation to rural revitalization. It also serves as a driving force for sustainable and high-quality rural development. Facing the pressing needs of vast rural regions, it is of utmost importance to reorganize the rural development trajectory and update theories of rural characteristic development with practical value. This study examines three stages of rural development since the reform and opening-up, arguing that the rural characteristic development system has gradually evolved through stages of characteristic germination, type expansion, and cultivation reinforcement, and is now entering a critical phase of comprehensive characteristic development. On this basis, the study summarizes the primary requirements for rural characteristic development in the new era, proposing a concept and framework for rural characteristic development that focuses on more precise characteristic positioning and comprehensive allocation of regional resources, aiming to provide theoretical support for tapping the potential of rural advantages and activating rural characteristics in vast rural areas. Finally, using the Beijing-TianjinHebei region as a case study, an empirical analysis is conducted based on the theoretical framework of characteristic development, initially completing a comprehensive study from characteristic identification to cultivation. The study discusses methodological innovations and anticipates numerous scientific issues that could be addressed in the future.