This study addresses rural decline in China, focusing on villages near rivers, using the Jiulong River upstream in Fujian as a case study. It examines river-centric design for sustainable rural revitalization, promoting ecological integrity and socio-economic resilience. Using a layered approach, it analyzes the watershed, identifying ecological issues like river system segmentation, pollution, flood risk, soil erosion, and monoculture, alongside social challenges such as alienation from the river, underutilized economic opportunities, and low ecological awareness. A comprehensive strategic framework was developed, linking ecological and social measures, emphasizing bottom-up governance, and providing flexible, scalable design solutions.