自鸦片战争,西方的坚船利炮使中国仁人志士认识到科技救国的重要性,一批“睁眼看世界”的中国人开始探索强国富民之策。李善兰作为近代中国科技的先驱,怀着科技救国的理想,着手翻译西方科技著作,接受并传播西学,其译著成为学习西学的启蒙教材,不但向国人系统地介绍了西方先进的科技成就,还大大开拓了人们的眼界。他的朋友在其学术生涯中也发挥了重要作用。 Since the Opium War, Western gunboats have made Chinese beneitors realize the importance of science and technology to save the country. A group of Chinese people with “open eyes to see the world” began to explore strategies for strengthening the country and enriching the people. As a forerunner of modern Chinese science and technology, Li Shanlan embarked on the translation of Western scientific and technological works with the ideal of saving the nation by science and technology. He accepted and disseminated Western learning. His translation became an enlightening teaching material for studying Western learning. He not only systematically introduced advanced western scientific and technological achievements, Greatly opened up people’s horizons. His friend also played an important role in his academic career.