Symbolic analysis develops a new way of online contentious politics study, which is call online symbolic resistance study. This essay firstly clarifies the presuppositions and basic theoretical framework of online symbolic resistance study, from three dimensions-- philosophical foundations, analysis path and theory fulcrum. It is believed that this way of study is deeply influenced by three theoretical turns-- the constructivist turn in study paradigm, the linguistics turn in philosophy and the micro-power turn in ideological analysis. In the second part, the essay illustrates how resistant symbols work as micro-power representations via articulation practice with concrete examples in China: it takes the arbitrariness of signifier-signified as logical premise, constructs new meaning system by paradigmatic relations, and reproduces the ideology through multilayer signifying practices. Furthermore, this essay points out that "resistance" and "dialogue" are two important discourse functions of symbolic resistance: In one hand, Chinese netizens construct "alternative discourse space" in order to resist the leading ideology, which reflected the awakening of civic awareness in China. In other hand, resistant symbols convey intentions to negotiate with the official, which shows an active vision of social improved. This is the internal features of inter-subjectivity of dialogue spirit of Internet-- Which is easily overlooked by many researchers.