The object of the present invention is to provide a carbon material having superior reversibility in lithium intercalation/de-intercalation reaction, and a non-aqueous secondary battery using the carbon material as an active material for its negative electrode, which has a high energy density and excellent rapid charging and discharging characteristics. Graphite powder having a maximum particle diameter of less than 100 µm and less than 20 % of rhombohedral structure in the crystalline structure is used as an active material for the negative electrode of the non-aqueous secondary battery. The graphite powder can be obtained by pulverising raw graphite with a jet mill and subsequently treating the powder at a temperature equal to or higher than 900 °C.