The unit of the medieval land ruling is called myoden (rice field lots in the charge of a nominal holder), and at that period the wealthy class called Tato (cultivators) that came from gunji (local magistrates) and native provincial governors undertook the management of myo and came to be called Fumyo (tiller of the public rice field).
この土地支配の単位を名田と呼ぶが、この頃、郡司、土着国司などを出自とする田堵と呼ばれた富豪層は、名の経営を請け負い、負名と呼ばれるようになっていった。