The provincial governor was sent from the central government, whereas the local magistrate or village chief was appointed for life from local powerful clans who had ruled the area, which virtually meant that they were approved to govern the areas they originally ruled as administrative districts of the central government.
このうち、国司には中央から派遣されたが、郡司・里長はかつての在地首長である地域の豪族層が終身官として任命され、実質上自分の支配地域を行政単位として認められていた。