Abstract: The essay contests of Shanghai Polytechnic Institute were models for late Qing intellectuals from 1886 to 1894. The natural sciences section of the essay contests revealed the impact of modern science on the late Qing intellectuals. This article analyzes the participants in the contest, the contents of the questions, and the discussion of “the similarities and differences between Chinese traditional science and modern science”. The author concludes: 1) modern science influenced a variety of late Qing intellectuals; 2) these intellectuals had some basic knowledge of modern science; 3) they had gradually learned the norms of modern science(its subject, research methods, and style of expression). Based on these conclusions, the author argues that their scholarly focus had shifted from traditional Chinese science to modern science.