彝族是一个将宗教与生活融为一体的民族，彝民日常生活中的各种仪式则是其宗教信仰的表现形式。彝族信仰仪式必有插神枝一环，神枝的选择、插法、处理方式都有其宗教内涵。通过分析彝族信仰仪式中的神枝，可以得出彝族信仰仪式的意义，进而看到宗教信仰在彝族社会中的存在方式和作用。

峨山彝族自治县居住着山苏、纳苏、尼苏三个支系的彝族，彝族信仰仪式繁多，形成了独特的神枝文化，具有研究价值。本文在访问毕摩与查阅资料的基础上，通过分析神枝的选择、插置、处理方式和文化内涵，探讨神枝和信仰仪式的意义与作用，最终发现神枝作为一种象征符号，在仪式中代表神灵与武器，起到驱邪避凶、保护净化的功能。而神枝背后的信仰文化，是在彝族先民的敬畏之心与生活智慧共同作用下产生的。彝族的信仰就存在于他们对待事物的态度中，而信仰仪式在彝族的生活里有显著的心理安慰作用。

Religion and life come together as one for Yi people and the various rituals in everyday life are how they express their religious beliefs. Holy branch arrangement is an indispensable part of the belief rituals of Yi people and the ways of how holy branches are selected, arranged and handled all carry religious connotations. The significance of the belief rituals of Yi people can be obtained from an analysis of the holy branches used in them, which further reveals how religious beliefs exist in Yi society and their functions.

Three Yi offshoots are living in Eshan Yi Autonomous County-Shansu, Nasu and Nisu. And the numerous belief rituals of Yi people there have shaped a unique holy branch culture that is of research value. Based on interviews with Bimo and research materials, this paper approaches the significance and functions of holy branches and belief rituals through an analysis of the ways of how holy branches are selected, arranged and handled and their cultural connotations and ultimately discovers that holy branches are a kind of symbols and they represent gods and weapons in the rituals and serve to expel evil influences, ward off evil spirits, protect and purify. And the belief culture behind holy branches came into being under the combined influence of Yi ancestors’ reverence and life wisdom. The beliefs of Yi people exist in their attitudes toward things and the belief rituals offer significant psychological comfort to Yi people in their life.