崇高一词来自于拉丁语sublimis,美学史家鲍桑葵说:崇高是“美学研究的公认的一个分之”。崇高纳入美学范畴有一定的历史根源,从审美心理研究崇高,始于西方美学家,最早接触到崇高问题的是毕达哥拉斯。他根据音乐家精神气质的不同,把音乐划分为两类:一类是粗犷的;一类是文雅的。“简言之,音乐大体分两种:刚性的与柔性的音乐。罗马时期的西塞罗在《论义务》中,进一步把美分为”秀美“和”威严“: The word sublime comes from the Latin sublimis. Aesthetical historian Bow Sangui said: Sublime is a ”recognized one-third of aesthetic studies“. Sublime into the category of aesthetics has a certain historical roots, from the lofty aesthetic psychology, began in Western aesthetics, the earliest contact with the noble problem is Pythagoras. He divided the music into two categories according to the musical qualities of musicians: one was rough; the other was elegant. In short, the music is roughly divided into two types: rigid and flexible music.Cicero in Roman period further divides beauty into ”beauty“ and ”dignity“ in ”On Duty"