Abstract: The transcendence quality is a representative symbol in modern sports. By means of knowledge criticism and genealogical analysis of philosophical anthropology, this paper draws a picture on the transformation process of social idea from body holism in sport of ancient Greece to the body individualism in modern sport. Dominated by body holism, the sport in ancient Greece pursues the "perfect" quality which holds the human body, nature and community as a whole. The medieval time is a period when the body holism transforms to the body individualism, different from natural body, despite the fact that the individual is still tied up in community. Finally, in the modern time when the body individualism is booming, the transcendence quality is interpreted fully in modern sport in terms of the forming of individual, the development of sport skills and the understanding of conception of "excellence". This paper highlights the value of philosophical anthropology in the body study in sport issues.

Key words: transcendence quality, philosophical anthropology, modern sport, body holism, body individualism