A method of charging or discharging a member including the steps of, opposing to a member to be acted on, a discharging member having a dielectric member, an inducing electrode and a discharging electrode sandwiching the dielectric member so that the discharging electrode faces the member to be acted on, applying an alternating voltage between the inducing electrode and the discharging electrode to produce a surface discharge on a surface of the dielectric member at the discharging electrode side, wherein a charge density of the surface discharge area is changed in the direction of the width of the discharging electrode, and moving the member to be acted on relative to the discharging electrode to be subjected to a low charge density portion and then to a high charge density portion to charge or discharge the member to be acted on by the thus formed surface discharge.