also: えいし
gate guard (ritsuryō system); gate guardian
Historical term for guards stationed at gates under the ritsuryō system of ancient Japan.
The eji were responsible for guarding the gates of the imperial palace.
young forced labourer (ritsuryō system)
Refers to young people conscripted for labor under the ritsuryō system; a distinct historical usage from the guard sense.
Under the ritsuryō system, young people were put to work as eishi (forced labourers).
Standard kanji spelling for the historical guard role; reading えじ is the most common for this meaning.
Alternate reading for the same kanji form; less common than えじ.
The term 衛士 is composed of 衛 (guard, protect) and 士 (warrior, gentleman). Its historical usage is tied to the ritsuryō system; the exact derivation of the two distinct senses is uncertain.