Having produced monjo hakase who later became a Court noble over three consecutive generations, i.e. from Kiyokimi to SUGAWARA no Koreyoshi, then to SUGAWARA no Michizane, the Sugawara clan was in such a strong position that they looked as if they were holding the post of hakase by heredity.
菅原氏は清公・菅原是善・菅原道真と3代にわたって文章博士から公卿に昇り、博士職を世襲する勢いであった。