Gentrification has emerged as a significant theoretical and practical concern in global urban and rural development. In the context of China's urban renewal, urban sprawl, and rural revitalization, gentrification has become prevalent across various territorial types, leading to diverse social-spatial outcomes. Grounded in the theories of urban-rural spatial structure and uneven development, this paper develops an analytical framework for empirical research on gentrification within China. Through statistical analysis and geographic visualization techniques, this study systematically reviews existing empirical research on gentrification in China, revealing that metropolises serve as focal regions for gentrification studies. Increasing attention is being directed toward metropolitan fringes and hinterland areas. The majority of researchers adopt either a critical or relatively neutral stance regarding gentrification in China. Gentrification exhibits variations across different regional types. In inner cities, it primarily manifests through phenomena such as commercial gentrification and education-led gentrification. In urban fringe areas, gentrification often takes the form of new-build gentrification and green gentrification. Rural gentrification and tourism gentrification are observed in hinterland rural areas. The experiences of gentrification across various regions are linked to the occurrence pathways and internal logics, reflecting profound transformations in China's complex rural-urban relationship. Future research should delve deeper into population flows during gentrification processes, the comprehensive evolutionary history of gentrified communities, and the institutional characteristics underlying gentrification.