Abstract: Dijiao dance, a "native dance" of the Yi nationality that combines geographical and blood relationship, has the cohesive structural function of connecting the memory of individuals, ethnic group and society, and the physical activity symbols of Dijiao dance have the unique characteristics of restoring and presenting the cultural memory of individuals, ethnic group and society. This paper studies from the perspective of cultural memory theory the cultural symbols and cultural memory of Yi's Dijiao dance by means of literature review, field survey and oral history. The study shows that Yi's Dijiao dance is attached to myth and hero worship ——it is the product of the body memory of both individuals and ethnic group of the Yi nationality and the social practices of their body; Yi's Dijiao dance has an inner connection with Yi's totem worship ——it is a comprehensive representation of the body practice of both individuals and ethnic group of the Yi nationality in the framework of life; Yi's Dijiao dance is dependent on the regional and humanistic environment of "life", "survival" and "living" of the Yi nationality ——it is the product of the social practice of body memory for both individuals and ethnic group of the Yi nationality to achieve the "Sansheng" education, namely the education of life, survival and living; Yi's Dijiao dance bears an inherent relationship to their "religious sacrifice" and "festival celebration" ——it is a vivid expression of the social practice of body memory for both individuals and ethnic group of the Yi nationality to realize their "religious sacrifice" and "wedding ceremony". Yi's Dijiao dance embodies the three dimensions of human harmony: it reveals the harmony between nature and humanity in the vertical direction of history; it infiltrates the harmony between man and society (man to man) in the horizontal direction of socialization; it has the memorial characteristics of bridging the balance and imbalance within man's self at the intersection of vertical and horizontal dimension.

Key words: sport anthropology, Yi nationality, Dijiao dance, cultural symbol, cultural memory