During the Heian period, the tax-exempt shoen estates which consisted of small scale farmlands developed first and later the donated-type of shoen (manor) became mainstream, which was donated to powerful people such as the Imperial Family, sekkan-ke (the families which produced regents), main temples, shrines, and so on.
平安時代には、まず小規模な免税農地からなる免田寄人型荘園が発達し、その後、皇室や摂関家・大寺社など権力者へ寄進する寄進地系荘園が主流を占めた。