Shakui (借位)
Shakui is temporal bestowal of high Ikai (court rank) to officials. It is also called Shakujo.
Shakui was conducted when an official was given an assignment which should be performed by higher-ranking officials, and in some cases he was formally promoted to that higher rank if he succeeded in the assignment. Common cases of shakui were appointment of officials as Kento-shi (Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China) or as an envoy to receive foreign messengers, and shakui against gunji (district managers) for the purpose of stabilizing the local administration; in the latter cases, if gunji governed his district well, he was actually promoted in some cases.