Public participation serves as a vital driving force in translating the institutional advantages of the River Chief System into governance effectiveness. To provide a scientific basis for public participation in water governance, this paper reviews, synthesizes, and expands upon existing research through a systematic literature review of six key themes: conceptual definitions, practical approaches, participation models, existing challenges, influencing factors, and improvement strategies, thereby mapping the research landscape in this field. The findings reveal that scholars have conducted extensive and systematic explorations on public participation in water governance, laying a robust research foundation. Future efforts should focus on further deepening and innovating this domain through a stronger integration of theory and practice.
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