The tense in Modern Chinese is a complicated problem. The current linguists pay close attention to the problem; however, they hold divergent opinions upon it. Guided by the three-dimension grammatical theory, this dissertation studies the tense problem in Modern Chinese on the methodological principle of correlation between grammatical form and meaning. This dissertation constructs the tense system and meaning of Modern Chinese. The preface illustrates the theoretical meaning and practical value of the tense study in Modern Chinese, generalizes the lines and methods employed in the dissertation. It is believed that there is the category of tense in every language, while the form that expresses the sense of tense is not indifferent from each other. Chapter Two summarizes up the history and current condition of tense study in Modern Chinese, and generalizes the achievements and the existing insufficiency. Chapter Three discusses the nature of tense and the tense system in Modern Chinese. In the perspective of relation and denotation, the dissertation regards tense as belonging to the category of orientation. This chapter illuminates the relations among aspect and tense. Whether there is tense in Modern Chinese should be examined in accordance with the characteristics of Chinese. The tense in Chinese belongs to the category of lexis-grammar, and its form includes lexical measures and grammatical marks. In the Chinese tense system, the general tense and defining tense are distinguished at first, and the dualistic system of past tense and non-past tense is built in sentences of defining tense. Chapter Four discusses the relations among semantics and tense. In the first place, the chapter deals with the relations among moments of time, periods of time and tense, and then touches upon the relations between the type of sentence as well as semantic type of verb and tense. It is thought that respective characteristics lie in verb of time and verb of non-time.