The Fifth Moon and Eastern Painting Groups were active in post-war Taiwan between 1956/1957 and 1970. Their members were born mainly shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War in Mainland China, and exiled to Taiwan after the end of the war. Modern painting was strongly advocated by these two groups which were considered by many as influential in the art historical development of post-war Taiwan.

This book examines the background of the founding of these two artist groups, their development, as well as how the society responded to their artistic concepts, and opinion and behavior of individual artists.     

'「五月」與「東方」是興起於戰後臺灣畫壇的兩個繪畫團體，其主要活動時間，起自一九五六、五七年之交，終於一九七○年前後；其成員係以出生於戰爭前夕，成長於戰爭期間，戰後流亡來臺的大陸青年為核心。「現代繪畫」是他們積極倡導的藝術理想與追求目標。他們堅毅、明確的言論與行動，成為戰後臺灣第一個具有鮮明主張的美術運動。論者對此二畫會在戰後臺灣美術發展史上的關鍵性地位，看法頗為一致；但對其成就評價，卻有相當歧異的觀點。本書以史實重建的方式，運用大量的史料和作品，對「五月」「東方」的成立背景、歷屆畫展實際作為，以及當時社會對其藝術理念的迎拒過程，和個別的藝術言論與表現，作一全面考察；　企圖對此二頗具爭議性的前衛畫會，　作一公允定位。全書幾近四十萬言，並包括畫家早期、近期作品一百餘幀，是瞭解戰後台灣美術發展的重要參考書籍。' （書背）