Chinese dynasties -- I. Introduction. Prologue ; Ming classification on the eve of Jesuit contact -- II. Natural studies and the Jesuits. The Late Ming calendar crisis and Gregorian reform ; Sino-Jesuit accommodations during the seventeenth century ; The limits of Western learning in the early eighteenth century ; The Jesuit role as experts in high Qing cartography and technology -- III. Evidential research and natural studies. Evidential research and the restoration of ancient learning ; Seeking the truth and high Qing mathematics -- IV. Modern science and the Protestants. Protestants, education, and modern science to 1880 ; The construction of modern science in late Qing China -- V. Qing reformism and modern science. Government arsenals, science, and technology in China after 1860 ; Displacement of traditional Chinese science and medicine in the twentieth century -- Appendixes. Tang mathematical classics ; Some translations of chemistry, 1855-1873 ; Science outline series, 1882-1898 ; Partial chronological list of arsenals, etc., in China, 1861-1892 ; Table of contents for the 1886 Primers for science studies (Gezhi qimeng) ; Twenty-three fields of the sciences in the 1886 Primers for science studies ; Science compendia published in China from 1877 to 1903.

Also in digital pdf format: [Elman-ScienceChina.pdf]

Chapter keywords: growing of grains. wheat, rice;dyes; preparations of food grains; salt; sugar production; ceramics; casting and forging metal; boats and carts; hammer forging; calcination of stones; vegetable oils and fats; paper; metals; weapons; vermilion and ink; yeasts; pearls and gems; glossary; summary of dynasties; 24 solar terms; equivalence of weights and measures in metric units; transmission of techniques from China to the West.

卷一至卷六，包括治狀、兵事、奏議、揭帖等內容。
卷七至卷十一，“儒學”、“天學”。 “儒學”二種，包括《學庸書解》、《士約》，合為一卷；“天學”四種，包括《畏天愛人極論》、《仁會約》、《杜奧定先生東來渡海苦跡》、《崇一堂日記隨筆》，各為一卷，共四卷。
卷十二，“音學”一卷，包括〈西儒耳目資敘〉、〈西儒耳目資釋疑〉、〈三韻兌考問答〉、〈元母生生總圖〉等。
卷十三至卷十八，“制器學”，包括《遠西奇器圖說錄最》三卷、《新制諸器圖說》一卷、《守禦器具圖說》一卷、《額辣濟亞牖造諸器圖說》（殘篇）一卷等。
卷十九至卷二十二，包括書牘、詩、曲、序、跋、議、記、贊、銘、雜文等內容。其中卷二十一序、跋，收入十八篇。
附錄一，是有關王徵家族世系的史料，凡兩種，均為王徵後裔所撰。
附錄二，是本編校者編撰的王徵年譜。
附錄三，是有關王徵的傳記資料，以及贊賀、祭文，共精選十四篇。
附錄四，是有關王徵著譯的序、跋、提要，共精選三十篇。
附錄五，是有關王徵著譯的考辨，僅選入李之勤先生撰寫的長文《明末陝西涇陽王徵著譯考》。