high-ranking court noble; senior court official; kugyō
Archaic term for a high-ranking court noble in the Heian period and earlier. Refers to the kugyō class, especially those with access to the emperor. Modern Japanese would use 公卿 (くぎょう) or 貴族 (きぞく) for similar concepts.
See also: 公卿
In the Heian period, high-ranking court nobles played important roles at the imperial court.
court nobles and high-ranking courtiers allowed into the Imperial Palace
The term 月卿 (げっけい) is composed of 月 (moon) and 卿 (noble), likely a poetic or classical Chinese-derived expression for high-ranking courtiers. The exact origin is uncertain, but it appears in classical Japanese texts as a synonym for 公卿.