| The impact of intergenerational parenting on the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people was explored using data from the 2021 China Health and Aged Care Tracking Survey Reconciliation (Harmonised CHARLS) and the 2018 CHARLS. The study found that, first, intergenerational fostering can enhance the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people. Three different dimensions of intergenerational parenting, namely intensity of intergenerational parenting, experience of raising grandchildren, and parenting style, have different effects on the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people, in which raising grandchildren, whether or not they live with their children or grandchildren, enhances the subjective well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people. Secondly, intergenerational parenting enhances the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people through its effects on the family structure, social relationship network and individual structure of rural households. Third, the effect of intergenerational parenting on the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people is heterogeneous in four aspects: gender, age, marriage, and place of residence of rural elderly people. Based on the above conclusions, in the context of the relatively weak impact of the delayed retirement policy on rural middle-aged and elderly people, this paper argues that relevant subsidy policies should be introduced to enhance the well-being of rural middle-aged and elderly people, to actively cope with and solve the problem of population ageing, and to promote the development of a healthy China. |