Disclosed is an optical recording medium having a charge generating ability capable of generating electric charges with different polarities upon irradiation with light and a charge transporting ability capable of transporting at least one of the electric charges to separate specially the electric charges from each other forming an electric field upon irradiation with light, the optical characteristics of the optical recording medium being changed depending on the electric field, wherein the charge transporting capability is imparted by a charge transporting material formed of a molecule having a charge transporting capability or a polymer containing a monomer unit having a charge transporting capability. A light intensity pattern is recorded in the optical recording medium depending on the change in the optical characteristics caused by the electric field. The average intermolecular distance of a noticed charge transporting material is defined to fall within a predetermined range.