《后汉书》是南朝刘宋时期范晔是一部记载东汉历史的纪传体史书。从范晔删众家后汉史写作开始，至元嘉二十二年（445年）以谋反罪被杀为止，未能完成全部写作计划。一方面，《后汉书》是继《史记》、《汉书》之后又一部私人撰写的重要史籍，其创造性的撰写成为儒林和史学的典范。以致许多儒者精读该书；另一方面，范晔的为人和被杀的命运，又悬示了一个生动的典型，伴随范晔被杀，撰史由私家的权利被收归国有；皇族继续打压世族。至颜之推对范晔进行了全面深刻的批评。扬弃范晔，象征士族文人的自我转型，转变思想理念和生活方式，以适应时代的巨变，在新的社会环境中生存下去。颜之推就是一个成功转变的典型。

At the end of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, YAN Zhi-tui remarked FAN Ye’s The History of the Later Han Dynasty but ignored FAN’s name. YAN and FAN were both noble scholars, but YAN disliked FAN’s faith and personality. YAN’s criticism of FAN was a symbol of the self-transformation of the noble literati. YAN changed his thoughts and lifestyle to adapt to the new time and survive in the new social environment. He was an example of successful transformation.