Shosho (an imperial edict, decree) and chokusho (an official document issued by the Emperor) were issued by Dajokan (Grand Council of State) through official procedures after the imperial edict was informed to two or more government officials such as Kurodo, Shokei (court nobles who work at the Imperial Court as high rank post) and benkan (officials of the Dajokan), while rinji was issued by Kurodo through more simplified procedures, in the name of Kurodo as containing the phrase "The imperial edict is as follows" (the phrase "蒙綸旨云/被綸言云" (the following imperial edict is given) was stated at the front, and the phrase "綸言如此/天気如此" (the imperial edict is as stated above) was stated in the conclusion.).
詔書・勅書が太政官の正式な手続、宣旨が発給されるまで蔵人・上卿・弁官など複数の役人の間で伝言がなされたのに対し、綸旨はそれよりもさらに手続きが簡略され、蔵人が「綸言は以下の通り」（書出部分ならば「蒙綸旨云/被綸言云」・書止部分ならば「綸言如此/天気如此」という文言）と書いて自らの名義で発行した。