翻译西书是促使中国学习西方、走向近代化的重要手段。鸦片战争以来，随着学习西方的深入，不仅译书量不断增加，而且翻译的重点也随时而易。起初，以翻译世界地理书籍为主，继而转为以翻译西方的科技书籍为主，后来则以翻译西方的社会政治类书籍为主，以先后适应人们了解西方、求强求富、实行政治改革之需。 Translating the Western Book is an important means to promote China’s learning of the West and its modernization. Since the Opium War, with the deepening of the study of the West, not only has the volume of translation been continuously increased, but also the focus of translation has always been easy. Initially, the translation of the world geography books, and then to the translation of the Western science and technology books, and later to the translation of the Western social and political books mainly to adapt to people understand the West, seeking rich, implementing political reform need.