Under the ritsuryo system eishi were soldiers who came up to Kyoto in rotation from gundan (army corps) in various districts as guards of the Imperial Court mainly during the period when gundan were formed in various districts.
律令制下で、主に諸国で軍団が敷かれていた時期に、宮中の護衛のために諸国の軍団から交代で上洛した兵士。