Examining the poverty trap and its causes is the basis for understanding the mechanism of poverty reduction and governance. Current research no longer confines rural poverty to "insufficient capital formation", but emphasizes the importance of spatial factors. Based on the panel data at the county level, this paper identifies the rural poverty trap in China from two dimensions of aggregation and persistence. This study shows that the spatial pattern of poverty in rural China remained almost unchanged during 2006-2016, and the spatial distribution of poverty is not synchronized with economic growth. The distribution of poverty-stricken counties is mainly related to terrain conditions (slope, elevation). Further research also finds that rural poverty in China is persistent. There is a low level equilibrium of income in poverty-stricken counties, and there is a "club convergence" between poverty-stricken and non-poverty-stricken counties. This study reveals the relationship between spatial externalities and rural poverty, which provides support for the correct assessment of economic development and poverty alleviation, and the rational formulation of regional anti-poverty targeting mechanism.