Fuzhou, Jiangxi
Little is known about Wei Quanfeng's background, including when he was born, as he had no biography in the two official histories of the Tang Dynasty — the "Old Book of Tang" and the "New Book of Tang" — or the two official histories of the succeeding Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period — the "History of the Five Dynasties" and the "New History of the Five Dynasties". It is known, however, that he was from Nancheng (南城, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi) and that he was leader of the local people. In 882, when another local leader, Zhong Chuan, who had been occupying Fu Prefecture, which Nancheng belonged to, captured Hong Prefecture (洪州, in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi) and was subsequently commissioned by Emperor Xizong of Tang as the governor (觀察使, "Guanchashi") of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered at Hong Prefecture), Zhong left Fu Prefecture and Wei took the opportunity to take it over. Wei also sent his brother Wei Zaichang () to take over nearby Xin Prefecture (信州, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi).