a method of charging and discharging a lithium secondary battery in which a negative electrode comprises an active material including silicon provided on a current collector which is a metal which does not form an alloy with lithium . the method is characterized in that the lithium secondary battery is charged and discharged within a range of state of charge at which no peak corresponding to a compound of lithium and silicon is observed in an x - ray diffraction pattern during charging using cuk α - radiation as the x - ray source .