By tracking the network of actors involved in genetic translation, combined with the analysis of first-hand materials such as the manuscript, revised manuscript and related letter, as well as the original text and final version, this paper examines how various actors participate in and influence the whole process of translating A Preliminary Survey of the Book CH’I MIN YAO SHU(CMYS). Through the call and attraction of triggering actors and the organization and recruitment of organizing actors, the two actor networks with the central issue of collating and annotating Qi Min Yao Shu and of translating CMYS were formed respectively. Then through actions and interactions of practical actors—Shi Shenghan and Joseph Needham, not only was the translation finally generated, but also the network of actors expanded, the research of Chinese agricultural history and even the history of Chinese science and technology across the world promoted, and the communication of the research findings facilitated. It inspires us to transform them into the pure sci-tech text, to retain Chinese citations and indicate the exact source, and to convey the authenticity of citations when translating sci-tech classics.