Abstract: Under impacts of urbanization, modernization and globalization, new rural elite cooperative governance models have emerged in practice. Based on existing elite classification, this article examines the rise of ordinary villagers and mobility between elites, and constructs an analysis framework of ‘elite within the systemelite outside the system-potential elite’, also in aspects of leader and participant. Two types of rural elite cooperative governance models are further analyzed by taking Zhanqi Village in Chengdu and Puhan Rural Community in Yuncheng as comparative cases. Despite strong social capital, influenced by historical traditions, economic development and other factors, governance resources and status of rural elite groups are different, and different cooperative governance models have developed. Rural areas with strong collective economy and political authority are represented by a top-down model dominated by elites within the system, while areas with weak collective economy and political authority are represented by a bottom-up model dominated by elites outside the system. Even so, effective consultation, joint action and community building function as the main governance paths of elite cooperative governance. In order to improve governance efficiency and reduce costs, it is necessary to choose an appropriate cooperative governance model according to actual situation of the village.