The theory of continental petroleum generation in our country has under gone 44 years ever since it has been initiated by Prof.Pan Zhongxiang.In re-cent ten years

much work has been done around the kernel of this theory

i.e.the research and application of petroleum organic geochemistry

and consi-derable advances have been made.On the present state of petroleum organic geochemistry in China

and on the basis of our monograph The Evolution and Hydrocarbon Generation Mechanism of Continental Organic Matter

this paper discusses the following subjects:(1)Classification of kerogen and requirements of high quality oil source areas.(2)The curve and equation of time-temperature relation of petroleum ge-neration threshold.(3)Geochemical significance of low-matured oil.(4)Main functions of relative parameters for biomarkers.(5)The significance of heavy soluble components in rocks during hydro-carbon generation and the limitation of the theory of kerogen-formed oil.(6)Hydrocarbon generation mechanism.