身份問題是香港文學研究的重要議題，香港文學獨特的經驗為研究香港意識衍變提供了重要線索。《我城》是西西創作的分水嶺，她想好好寫寫七十年代香港這群年青人，寫他們的生活和他們的城，《我城》也被視為香港社會身份意識變遷的發軔之作。身份的探尋往往與「他者」分不開，「他者」對於自我身份意識的定義、建構和完善必不可少。本文以此為背景，分析《我城》內部隱含的文化認同與身份意識問題，梳理香港身份意識萌生與「他者」的脈絡。《我城》中的他者不是單一的，是多元的，「我」和多元他者並非對峙、截然二分的關係，有的時候是你中有我，我中有你的複雜依存關係，如何面對「他者」是在現代社會確立自己最重要的態度。本文藉《我城》中三個「他者」來探討身份意識，分別為：「飄零者」、「理想的安頓之處」以及「攝影式觀看」。「飄零者」對於寄身之處充滿著疏離感，孤立、自我封閉，「飄零者」指向「我」已是此地的安居者，慷慨、迎納他人；「理想的安頓之處」扣問安居者們，「我」在此地／這城的責任意識；人的「觀看」方式影響對自我、世界的建構。「攝影式觀看」提醒「我」所見的是暫時的、有限的，「我」是否能夠自省自覺，思考如何面對這個無常的人生和居住的「這城」。

Identity is an important issue in the study of Hong Kong literature. The unique experience of Hong Kong literature provides important clues for the study of the evolution of consciousness of Hong Kong identity. My city is a watershed in Xi Xi's writings. Xi Xi wants to write about the young people in Hong Kong in the 1970s, their life and their city. My city is also regarded as the beginning of the change of Hong Kong's social identity consciousness. The search for identity is often inseparable from 'the other', which is essential for the definition, construction and improvement of self-identity consciousness. Based on this background, the article will explore the hidden issues of cultural identity and identity consciousness within My city, and sort out the context of the emergence of local identity consciousness and "the other". "The other" in My city is not a single one, but multiple. "I" and many others are not in a confrontational and dichotomous relationship. Sometimes there is a complex interdependence relationship between the other and me, how to face the other is the most important attitude to establish one's consciousness in modern society. I will argue identity consciousness through three others in My city, namely: "Wanderer", "Ideal Place to Settle" and "Photographic seeing". The "wandering person" is full of alienation, isolation and self-enclosure for the place where he lives. "Wanderer" points to "I" who is already a resident of this place, generous and accepting of others; "ideal place to settle down" asks the resident about the sense of responsibility of "I" in this place/city; the way people "see" affects the construction of consciousness. "Photographic seeing" reminds "I" what I see is temporary and limited, whether "I" can reflect on myself and think about how to face this impermanent life and "this city" where I live.