A plurality of arc tubes are arranged in parallel with the long side of a rectangular screen, a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes are arranged on the display surface side of the arc tube array in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the arc tubes, and a plurality of third electrodes are arranged on the back side of the arc tube array along the longitudinal direction of the arc tubes. At the time of screen display, the third electrodes are used as scan electrodes and a scan voltage is applied sequentially to the plurality of third electrodes. In the meantime, a voltage is applied to a desired first electrode or second electrode so that discharge takes place in a desired light-emitting cell and a light-emitting cell is selected. Thereafter, display discharge takes place between the adjacent first electrode and second electrode thus performing display.