What is an example of symbolism in the novel, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze?

When Young Fu announces that he is going to carry buckets of the rare, marvelous snow into Chungking and sell it on the streets, he is warned not to do so, for his actions will offend the Dragon. He takes the snow with him anyway, and thus the snow is not only a vehicle for descriptive imagery but also a symbol of Young Fu's curiosity, wonder, and willingness to defy old superstitions.