One embodiment provides a system that forwards a packet with a hierarchically structured variable-length identifier (HSVLI) in a network. An HSVLI indicates a piece of content and indicates a hierarchical structure of contiguous components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level. The length of the HSVLI is not fixed. During operation, the system receives a packet which contains an interest for a piece of content with an HSVLI. Subsequently, the system determines forwarding information for the HSVLI based on one or more of: knowledge of content which matches the HSVLI, a forwarding policy, and contextual information about the network. Next, the system configures a forwarding engine with the forwarding information. The system then forwards the packet based on the forwarding information.