| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| 论文摘要 | 第7-8页 |
| Abstract | 第8-10页 |
| Contents | 第10-11页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第11-14页 |
| ·Research Objectives | 第11-13页 |
| ·The significance of the research | 第13-14页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第14-21页 |
| ·The definition of key terms | 第14-17页 |
| ·The definition diachronic changes and tone sandhi | 第14页 |
| ·Defining on the level of tone pitch | 第14-17页 |
| ·Analysis of diachronic changes among Chinese scholars | 第17-21页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第21-41页 |
| ·Markedness in segmental level and Markedness Hierarchy | 第21-23页 |
| ·Markedness Mechanisms | 第23-27页 |
| ·Competence and Performance Related Markedness | 第24-26页 |
| ·Markedness Reduction and Preservation of the Marked | 第26-27页 |
| ·Markedness Mechanisms | 第27-29页 |
| ·Markedness in Prosodic Level and Tone Markedness Hierarchy | 第29-41页 |
| ·Prosody | 第30页 |
| ·Tone and Underlying Tone Pitch Value | 第30-33页 |
| ·Tone Markedness Hierarchy | 第33-41页 |
| ·Register Markedness Hierarchy | 第33-37页 |
| ·Contour Markedness Hierarchyy | 第37-41页 |
| Chapter Four Research Description | 第41-55页 |
| ·Restructuring the Tone System in Middle Chinese | 第41-44页 |
| ·Introduction to the Modern Chinese Tone System | 第44-55页 |
| Chapter Five Chapter Five Analysis of the Tone Change in Markedness Theory | 第55-64页 |
| ·Summary of the changes from Middle Chinese to the Modern Varieties | 第55-57页 |
| ·Questions Based on the Proposed Rules Governing the Changes | 第57-58页 |
| ·Phonological Interpretation in Light of Markedness | 第58-64页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第64-65页 |
| Bibliography | 第65-68页 |
| Appendix one Collection of Main Chinese Dialects Tone System | 第68-73页 |
| Post Script | 第73页 |
