The diverse urban forms of the city of Beijing were created from long historical and cultural developments. In fact, this city has diverse forms ranging from traditional to modern, from low palaces to high-rise buildings. The urban form is changing very rapidly under the pressure from urban renewal. The city image also has mixed visual impacts, from historical buildings to hundreds of modern high-rises scattering around the city. Therefore, it is impossible to catch a representative image of the city, and it is difficult to comprehend its character. A method is suggested to analyze the unique urban environment of the capital city. In this article, a concept of utilizing a layering method is developed for the purposes of sorting out ways to identify a city. Hopefully, it will demonstrate a logical method for appreciating a modern city sustainable for preserving its old history.