Rural　sewage　treatment　facilitates　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　yet　can　be　costly.　To　address　this　challenge,　a　cost-effective　embedding　material　mainly　consisting　of　heterotrophic　nitrifying　bacteria,　activated　alumina　(AA),　and　a　solid　carbon　source　(HPMC)　was　applied　to　a　tidal　flow　constructed　wetlands　(TFCWs);　aimed　at　stable　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　under　low　carbon-to-nitrogen　(C/N)　ratios.　The　TFCWs　could　be　shortened　to　16　d　of　startup　duration　time　compared　with　the　control　group;　and　improved　the　ammonia　nitrogen　(NH4+-N),　total　nitrogen　(TN),　and　total　phosphorus　(TP)　removal　efficiencies　to　98　%,　93　%,　and　68　%,　respectively.　Also,　effluent　NH4+-N,　TN,　and　TP　in　the　enhanced　TFCWs　could　be　stable　at　0.52　+/-　0.18,　1.23　+/-　0.45,　and　0.75　+/-　0.25　mg/L,　respectively.　Microbial　community　analysis　revealed　that　AA　and　HPMC　were　enriched　Pseudomonas　sp.,　which　potentially　accelerated　the　NH4+-N　assimilation　pathway　and　phosphate　biological　removal.　Embedding　materials-TFCWs　can　provide　new　solutions　for　integrated　rural　sewage　technology.