The post of Monjo hakase was established on August 30, 728 in order to supplement Myogyo-do (Daigaku-ryo's then main subject to study and teach Chinese classics of Confucianism such as shisho-gokyo [四書五経: the four books and five classics]) through teaching Chinese classics of other than Confucianism, and at that time Ritsugaku hakase (teacher of law, which was later called myobo hakase) was concurrently established.
神亀5年7月21日(旧暦)（728年8月30日）の格式において、明経道を補助する事（儒学以外の漢文の解釈）を目的として律学博士（後の明法博士）とともに設置された。