Hydration heat effect of cement pastes and mechanism of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose ether (HPMC) and expanded perlite in cement pastes were studied by means of hydration exothermic rate, hydration heat amount, FTIR and TG-DTG. The results show that HPMC can significantly delay the hydration induction period and acceleration period of cement pastes. As mixing amount increased, hydration induction period of cement pastes enlarged and accelerated period gradually went back. At the same time, the amount of hydration heat gradually decreased. Expanded perlite had worse delay effects and less change of hydration heat amount of cement pastes than HPMC. HPMC changed the structure of C-S-H during cement hydration. The more amount of HPMC, the more obvious effect. However, EXP had little influence on the structure of C-S-H. At the same age, the content of Ca (OH)2 in cement pastes gradually decreased as the mixing amount increase of HPMC and expanded perlite, and had better delay effect than that single-doped with HPMC or expanded perlite when HPMC and expanded perlite were both doped in cement pastes. Hydration heat effect of cement pastes and mechanism of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose ether (HPMC) and expanded perlite in cement pastes were studied by means of hydration exothermic rate, hydration heat amount, FTIR and TG-DTG. The results show that HPMC can significantly delay the Hydration induction period and acceleration period of cement pastes. As the same time, the amount of hyd heat heat gradually decreased. change of hydration heat amount of cement pastes than HPMC. HPMC changed the structure of CSH during cement hydration. The more amount of HPMC, the more obvious effect. However, EXP had little influence on the structure of CSH. At the same age, the content of Ca (OH) 2 in cement pastes gradually decreased as the mixing amount increase of HPMC and expanded perlite, and had better delay effect than that single-doped with HPMC or expanded perlite when HPMC and expanded perlite were both doped in cement pastes.