Abstract: The content comparison is performed among the early Chinese textbooks published from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, the Russian textbooks translated in the 1950s, and Chinese textbooks published in the 1960s. Therefore the influence of the translated Russian textbooks on the Chinese theoretical mechanics textbooks is analyzed. The investigation shows that the translated textbooks has a limited impact on the theoretical mechanics textbooks for the mathematics and physics majors, but has a significant impact on the theoretical mechanics textbooks for engineering majors. The influence includes formulating the teaching system consisting of statics, kinematics and dynamics, rigidifying the teaching treatments of kinematics, and expanding the teaching content of dynamics. In addition, a translated Russian textbook published in the 21st century is studied to understand its impacts.