Translating western science and technology in the late Ming Dynasty changed the social atmosphere. Enlightened scholar-officials with Xu Guangqi as the center took national rejuvenation as their mission, translated numerous western works, and advocated “saving the country through science and technology”. In the ideology of scientific and technological translation, it is mainly manifested in taking the science of metrology as the foundation of scientific and technological development so as to facilitate mastering all affairs, taking practicality as the guideline for the choice of science and technology, pursuing the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts, and taking “outperform the west” as the goal of scientific and technological innovation and humbly and diligently connecting Chinese and western science and technology. In the practice of science and technology, varieties of activities to help the people and the country were carried out, and considerable contributions in calendar, mathematics, agriculture and the military were made. The ideas and practices behind Xu Guangqi’s translation and study of western science and technology in this period are of unique value and historical significance. Not only did it help the late Ming to recreate the glory of science and technology and promote the enlightenment of modern scientific thought, but it also helped the nation to apply advanced scientific knowledge, methods and ideas to the interpretation of science and technology, thus to find the innovation and development road to “outperform the west”.