五○年代末，當現代詩運動在台灣文壇展開時，台灣繪畫的「現代化」運動，也以「畫會」為模式，展開革新的訴求；「五月」與「東方」畫會即在畫壇求新求變的新穎意識下成立。「東方」畫會本在現代繪畫運動中居於前衛的地位，但「五月」畫會以強勢的理論文字配合可觀的創作成果，卻取得了現代繪畫的主導地位，詩人余光中之「東方自覺」說更為「五月」的創作找出理論基礎，為其提出的「中國現代畫」論述架構出獨特的意義。本文從台灣現代繪畫運動的興起談起，論述現代詩人與畫家如何共同為台灣現代繪畫運動發聲，主導台灣現代繪畫運動的走向；同時探究余光中之「東方自覺」說如何逐步架構出「中國現代畫」之理論基礎，成就「五月」在台灣現代繪畫運動史上的意義。

When the Movement of Modern Poetry prevailed in Taiwan in the late 1950s, Taiwanese painting likewise pursued its “modernization,” resulting in the appearance of many “painting societies.” “Wuyue” (May) and “Dongfang” (The Orient) were two such societies established with conscious efforts for the new and the novel. Though “Dongfang” had started as a forerunner, “Wuyue” eventually took the lead in Taiwanese modern painting by its numerous creative practices as well as powerful theories. Poet Yu Kuang-chung’s idea of “Oriental Selfawareness” contributed immensely to Wuyue's theoretical vision of what modern Chinese painting should be. This paper explores the rise of the Movement of Modern Painting in Taiwan, elucidating how poets and painters worked together to set directions for and promote the movement. It examines in particular the role “Oriental Self-awareness” played in the theoretical construct of modern Chinese painting, and how it established Wuyue's position in the Movement of Modern Painting in Taiwan.