The shoen ranks included "honjo (head of shoen lords) and ryoke," their deputy, "azukaridokoro," and three classes of "Shoshi or Geshi," the actual local ruler and in many cases, donor, but the top most rank was the "Kenmon" which included "aristocrats including the retired emperor" and those of temples and shrines.
荘園支配の階層には荘園領主である「本所や領家」、その代官である「預所」、現地での実質支配者で、多くの場合寄進者である「庄司（下司）」の3段階があるが、その最上位が権門といわれる「上皇をふくめての貴族層」や、大寺院・神社が位置する。