The ordinance at that time stated to take the students of Monjo and Myoho from the children of Zonin officials and Hakucho people, therefore the children of lower-level officials of the central and local governments or common people became the Myoho students and it was seen as a lower ranking department than Myogyodo which took students from the children of aristocrats.
この時の格に文章生と明法生は雑任・白丁の子弟から採ることが規定され、中央・地方の下級官人あるいは庶民の子弟が明法生となり、貴族子弟を学生とした明経道よりは格下と看做されていた。