Under the Ritsuryo system where Sanmi or higher was considered kugyo, many of the collateral family members of the Fujiwara clan and non-Fujiwara clan middle class nobles held the court rank, Shii.
三位以上を公卿とする律令制下においては、四位は藤原氏傍系にあたる者や非藤原氏の中級貴族に多くがこの位階にあった。