Historian of science Joseph Needham, in his Science and Civilisation in China, volume Ⅲ, pages 52-53, notes that these books "were followed by books on more advanced geometry and surveying .... From this time onwards the Chinese mathematical literature becomes voluminous, but, though still somewhat isolated, it is part of the world literature." Ricci also brought astronomical knowledge--and speculation--to China.
利瑪竇曾將帶到中國的一本拉丁文幾何講義口授給徐光啟，由徐執筆譯為「幾何原本」出版，士林爭相傳閱，這是中國第一本西洋科學書籍。同年又和徐光啟合著了一本「測量法義」，書中說明測量的方法。