also: そうえん
noun
manor; demesne
Historical term for a large private estate or manor, especially in medieval Japan, often associated with the shōen system.
中世の日本では、荘園が貴族や寺社の経済基盤だった。
In medieval Japan, manors were the economic foundation of the nobility and temples.
この地域
Many manors existed in this region.
Variant kanji form using 庄 instead of 荘; less common but seen in historical contexts.
From Middle Chinese 莊園 (tsrjang hjwon), meaning 'manor' or 'estate'. The kanji 荘 means 'villa' or 'manor', and 園 means 'garden' or 'park'.