A front light (100) and reflection liquid crystal display including a pointlike light source (101) and a light guide (104) which has an incidence face (104a) on which light from the light source (101) is incident and an emergence face (104b) from which the light incident on the incidence face is emergent. The light from the light source (101) is a linear beam at least when the light is incident on the incidence face (104a). The light is free from shade from the light source (101), the moiré fringes and uneven brightness distribution. Therefore, the front light (100) provides bright illumination, can be produced at low cost, and operates with small power consumption, and a reflection liquid crystal display having such a front light is provided.