中文摘要：

城市特色不仅体现在外部形态、结构上，而且蕴藏于城市精神、秉性等内在质地。梳理城市特色、建设特色城市，当在兼顾形而上的物质表征、面貌的同时，抓好城市精气神、个性的培育。不同的城市文化符号具有城市甄别的工具性价值、功能。通过对黄河上的十余座古都城市进行剖析，从城市的历史文化角度切入，用典型事件或人物等建立与相应城市的对应关系，亦可达到识别不同城市之目的。这对特色城市的营造具有启发意义。

英文摘要：

The city characteristic not only exists in the aspects of external morphological structure, but also lies in the city spirit, disposition, and other internal domain or material. To clear up city characteristics and construct city with characteristics, it is necessary to do well in both the physical manifestations forging and the city vitality or cultivation making. City＇s culture symbol has the value and function of screening and distinguishing different cities. Through discussing some ancient capital cities in the Yellow River Basin, we find that the relationship between cities and their culture is a good tool in how to identify the different cities by using the means of city individualities and cultural symbols.