Objective：To analyze the hotspots and trends in the current state of care for rural empty-nest elderly in China over the past two decades, providing insights for future research on this topic. Methods: Chinese literature related to the care of rural empty-nest elderly was retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, covering the period from January 2005 to December 2024. Citespace software was employed to generate visualizations of publication volume, author collaboration patterns, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and emergent themes. Results: A total of 808 articles were included. Publication volume exhibited a trend of “slow growth—rapid surge—gradual decline”, with room for improvement in author collaboration. Co-occurrence and clustering maps revealed that research hotspots primarily revolved around issues such as care provision, security, services, and influencing factors for rural empty-nest elderly. Conclusion: Research on elderly care for rural empty-nest elderly in China has transitioned from foundational conceptual studies to a stage of substantive development. Establishing a three-dimensional network integrating “care strategy innovation, technology empowerment, and policy coordination” is key to addressing