This paper compares two typical communities with the research method of participant observation and from the life-course perspective. It is found that in city-center communities

the elderly who actively participate in community activities are mainly women while in village-transformed communities such elderly are mainly men. And community activities of the same nature and type have different single-sex participation in different communities. At the same time

it is found that it is a relatively fixed group of elderly who always actively participate. This paper examines the purposes and methods of elderly’s participation in community activities and their interaction with community workers in community space and describes specific gender differences in urban elderly’s community participation. It believes that the differences are the result of the gender strategies and actions of the community

community workers and the elderly. Gender strategy is the path with the least resistance for the elderly

the community and community workers to construct

build and walk together

which may solidify gender differences and intensify inequality in resources and opportunities arising therefrom.