後李文化是近年在黃河下游發現的一種新石器時代考古學文化遺存。一九九一年十月，作者在山東濟南召開的「紀念城子崖遺址發掘六十周年國際學術討論會」上，發表了《海岱地區史前考古的新課題 -- 試論後李文化》的論文，提出了後李文化應是早於北辛文化、距今約八千年左右的一種考古學文化，是北辛文化的主要源頭的看法。近來，有的學者出於對碳十四測定年代的誤解，以及對後李文化中存在著一定數量的、磨制精度較高的骨器感到不可理解，提出後李文化的年代距今應為八千多年到六千年代的前期。並認為，後李文化是魯北地區的一種與北辛文化並行 -- 或者部分並行的地方性考古學文化。為說明這一問題，本文在對碳十四測定數據做了必要的整理後指出，後李文化與北辛文化間的絕對年代尚有數世紀的間隔，要解決兩者的關係和文化屬性，只能從後李文化與北辛文化早期之間的比較中尋找答案。而後根據地層疊壓關係和類型學上的分析，結合華北地區的考古新發現，分別對後李文化的總體特徵、年代序列及北辛文化的內涵、年代分期作了進一步的整理。從陶質陶色、裝飾風格、器物造物、器類組合、工藝水平等五個主要方面論述了兩者的異同。明確提出，北辛文化應是承接後李文化發展起來的一種考古學文化。兩者間的聯繫和區別，應視為同一文化譜系中，處在不同發展階段上的兩支考古學文化的聯繫和區別。

　　　　　The Hou-li Culture, dating back to the Neolithic age, was discovered this year at the lower reaches of the Yellow River valley. In Chi-nan, Shantung at the October 1991 "International Academic Symposium Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Ch'eng-tzu-yai Escavation," the author presented a book entitled, A new problem in the study of the prehistoric archaeology of the Hai Tai region: a treatise on the Hou-li culture. The author argues that the Hou-li culture, predating the Pei-hsin culture at about 8000 years ago, is the key to the origins of the Pei-hsin culture. Because of discrepancies in radio carbon determinations and skepticism arising from findings of a certain quantity of finely-polished stones and bone ware at the site, certain scholars have recently argued that the Hou-li culture dates somewhere from 8000 to 6000 years ago and is contemporary to the cultures of the northern Shantung region and certain localities of the Pei-shin culture. The author draws upon a series of radiocarbon data to demonstrate that the absolute dates of the Hou-li and Pei-hsin cultures are indeed separated by an interval of several centuries. In determining the relationship between the two cultures as well as each culture's distinctive features, the author explains that one must look for an answer in a comparison of their earlier stages. Later, using a structural analysis of the stratigraphical and typological attributes of each assemblage, coupled with the new archaeological findings in the Northern China region, the author finds respectively the chronology and overall features of the Pei-hsin culture and the contents of the Hou-li culture. The quality and color of ceramics, the style of decoration, the forms of utensils, variety of utensils and the level of craftsmanship are five major features evident in the two regions. The author indicates that the Pei-hsin culture clearly predated the Hou-li culture. The connections and distinctions between the Pei-hsin and Hou-li cultures reveal that they derive from the same cultural horizon while having developed over different periods of time.