also: ぼうじん
noun
ancient Japanese border guards; sakimori
Only with reading さきもり
Historical term for soldiers stationed at strategic coastal posts in Kyushu during the Nara and early Heian periods to defend against possible invasion.
防人は、古代九州の沿岸防備にあたった兵士である。
The sakimori were soldiers who guarded the coasts of ancient Kyushu.
万葉集には防人の歌が多く収められている。
Many poems by sakimori are included in the Man'yōshū.
noun
Tang-dynasty Chinese border guards
Only with reading ぼうじん
Historical term referring to Chinese soldiers stationed to protect remote regions during the Tang dynasty. Read as ぼうじん in this context.
唐代の防人は、辺境の守りについていた。
The Tang-dynasty border guards were stationed to defend the frontiers.
The Japanese term 防人 (さきもり) is a native Japanese compound, with 防 meaning 'defend' and 人 meaning 'person'. The reading さきもり is of uncertain origin, possibly from 崎守 (cape guard) or 先守 (front guard). The alternate reading ぼうじん is a Sino-Japanese reading used for the Chinese historical context.