What is the meaning of ?

Clipping of 在郷 (zaigō): countryside or outskirts

to exist, to be at

A common auxiliary verb or (more probably) verbal suffix, usually thought to denote the completive aspect, i.e. describing an action which has been completed and remains in such a state. An alternative but minority hypothesis holds that it honored the subject of the verb to a moderate degree, whereas (*-si) was more highly honorific.

Source: wiktionary.org