In this paper, the city image and space production theory are combined with urban characteristics, studies focused on the perception way city features, characteristic space production, structure model, urban characteristics shaping city characteristics. In Dunhuang, for example, the space was studied based on the analysis of the evolution of history, through the cognitive map method studied the image space of Dunhuang city, from the selected typical image space as characteristic space. The paper analyzes the formation and characterization of its production, process, and finally puts forward the urban characteristics shaping strategy of Dunhuang city.