黃宗羲撰《宋元學案》，僅將周行己、許景衡等人列為《永嘉學案》之一，全祖望修補《宋元學案》時，雖將《永嘉學案》之一改為《周許諸儒學案》，實際上只是承黃宗羲之意再確認周行己為永嘉之學的開創者，於是此說遂成定論。然宋代許及之、陳謙已然將王開祖目為永嘉宗師，元代以降王都中、蘇伯衡亦推尊之。晚清孫衣言既表彰鄉賢之學不遺餘力，復以永嘉學脈嫡傳自重，故慊然於梨洲、謝山之所編，乃摭其所遺，重撰《永嘉學案》，將王開祖儒志先生、林石唐奧先生、丁昌期經行先生尊奉為永嘉儒先，為後世永嘉學者之「名世宗師」。但三先生之地位與影響，仍待學者細辨考索，從而探知孫衣言推尊三先生於永嘉學脈之目的。

Huang Tsung-hsi who compiled the Song-Yuan Case Studies, only listed Zhou Hangji, Xu Jingheng and others in the first of ＂The Yongjia case study.＂ Although Ch'ung Tsu-wang improved the Song-Yuan Case Studies, and changed the first of ＂The Yongjia case study＂ to ＂Scholar Zhou Xu Zhuru plan,＂ in fact he just inherited Huang Tsung-his's ideas to reaffirm Zhou Hangji as the inauguratorof Yongjia School. Therefore this statement was becoming a verdict. However,Wang Kaizu was not only considered master of great learning and integrity of Yongjia School by Xu Jizhi and Chen Qian of the Song Dynasty, but also Wang Douzhong and Su Boheng revered him in Yuan Dynasty. In the late Qing dynasty, Sun Yiyan both recognized the Village notables' learning, and valued himself as the Yongjia school lineal descendant, therefore he was not satisfied with Huang Tsung-hsi and Ch'ung Tsu-wang's Song-Yuan Case Studies. He recorded what they missed; rewrote ＂The Yongjia case study,＂ and venerated Wang Kaizu, Lin Shi and Ding Changqi as the great learning and integrity which was immortalizing in Yongjia School. However, the status and influence of three forerunners are still waiting for the scholars study carefully, then it might be able to understand the purpose of respecting three forerunners by Sun Yiyan.