The chief abbot was selected from the four temples of the Kogi school (the Kongobu-ji Temple and the Kyoogokoku-ji Temple) and the Shingi school (the Chishaku-in Temple and the Hase-dera Temple), and the To-ji Temple was one of the four head temples which selected a chief abbot.
管長を古義派（金剛峯寺・教王護国寺）と新義派（智積院・長谷寺）の4寺院から互選することとなり、東寺は管長を選出する四本山の一つとなった。