Abstract: The concepts of “voice” and “breath” in the Wei Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty and the North-South Dynasties, or from the early 3rd century to late 6th century to be exact, came from their counterparts used prior to the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C - 207 B.C.). Viewed from the perspective of origin of logic, breath determines voice, thus the concepts of different types of breath. In return, voice counter-affects breath to induce mutual-generation, interaction, generation of breath and other phenomena between the two concepts. Exteriorly, voice and breath take the form of word and character respectively. The former refers to words in the Chinese language that form the voice system characterized by the process of “utterance from the mouth becoming words.” In light of the relation of voice to word and character, other concepts and ideas generated centering around voice, such as “poetry should be works of beauty in terms of both emotions and words,” “voice resides with words,” “voice is created to suit words” and “voice serves to beautify words.” Viewed from the perspective of the interior change of voice and breath into emotions, intentions and ideas, the theories that “poetry expresses ideas” and “poems should be sentimental” are all requirements for voice of poems. As a matter of fact, the idea “voice” in these dynasties also contain the rhythm rules, as emotions, intentions and ideas are all regarded to be powered by breath. Viewed from organized research literature, categories such as “emotions,” “intentions” and “ideas” in both music and literature during these historical periods aforesaid are all in close affinity with the concept of “voice.”

Key words: voice, breath, words, character, emotion, intention, idea, Wei Dynasty, Jin Dynasty, North-South Dynasties