The invention provides a centralized method for realizing 1588 time synchronization on a distributed system, and relates to the field of 1588 time synchronization. The method comprises: a master clock node sending a synchronization message, carrying t1 and t1'-t1, t1' being time when a same node wire board sends the synchronization message, a slave clock node receiving the synchronization message, marking t2' and t2, calculating a synchronization message correction time delay value; the slave clock node sending a delay request message, carrying t3 and t3'-t3, t3' being the time when the same node wire board sends the delay request message, receiving the delay request message by the master clock node, marking t4' and t4, calculating a delay request message corrected delay value, inserting the delay request message corrected delay value and the t4 into a delay response message, sending to the slave clock node, the slave clock node obtaining all timestamps and two corrected delay values, through a time synchronization algorithm, completing time synchronization. The method can reduce development and debugging workload, simplifies backboard wiring, reduces synchronizing signal interference, and shows for the external by integrated time source information.