Clearly dividing the functions and responsibilities of governments at all levels in environmental management is not only the inherent requirement of deepening the reform of “discharging service” and the construction of responsible government, but also the realistic need to improve the rural ecological environment and realize the sustainable development of rural economy. Based on the historical analysis of the evolution of rural environmental management policy, the paper analyzes the main roles of governments at all levels in rural environmental management. Then it puts forward the future direction of government roles in the rural environment management. Government should continue to play a leading role and make power decouple in the rural environment management, which means to give back the right to the market, to loosen control of the rural environment market and to give back the right to the society, especially to strengthen the social selfgovernment which makes peasants as the main body in the rural environment management.