It seems that Sonohito was a benevolent ruler who carefully considered the lives of farmers, for example, in the Bungo Province where he worked as governor in the Enryaku era there is a hokora (a small shrine) to honor his good governance and virtue (Goryo-sha in Oga, Hinode Town, Oita Prefecture).
園人は百姓の立場から仁政をしく良吏であったらしく、延暦年間に国守として赴任した豊後国では、園人の善政と遺徳を頌える祠が現存している（大分県日出町大神の御霊社）。