Nobles, powerful temples and shrines attempted to stabilize the management of the shoen by appointing a resident of an emerging wealthy class as a sho cho (administrator of a manor) and maintaining a labor force by accepting impoverished people who had run off due debts or escaped from their distributed assignments.
有力寺社・貴族は労働力の確保のため、在地の新興富豪層を荘長に任じ、負債のため流亡した貧しい人や課役の追及を逃れた人を荘園に迎え入れることで、経営の安定化を図ろうとした。