Gender Difference in Social Participation of the Elderly in Rural China

China’s population has undergone ageing rapidly over the last decades and the level of population aging in rural areas is higher than that of the urban areas. Using the data from survey conducted in rural areas of Shaanxi Province in Northwest of China in 2011, the paper establishes multi-dimension measures to explore the gender difference and influential factors of China’s rural elderly participation. Some tentative findings have been drawn. First, social participation of female elderly are generally lower than that of male one. Second, each dimension of social participation shows imbalanced extend, both male and female elderly seldom participate economic activities, political participation has little higher than that of economic one, while the elderly are more likely participate cultural activities. Third, for the male elderly, those who are young, live with their spouse, engage in non-agricultural industry have higher social participation rate. And some community variables have significant effect on their participation. Fourth, for the female elderly, those who are young, have good health are more likely have higher social participation rate, while community variables have no significant effect on their participation indicated universal phenomena of low social participation for female elderly in rural China.