崔琰
It is not known when Cui Yanzhao was born. He was from the "Lesser Branch" of the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), and his ancestors originally claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn period state Qi. Cui Yanzhao's traceable ancestry included officials of Han Dynasty (including Cui Yan), Liu Song, Northern Wei, and Tang Dynasty. However, neither his grandfather Cui Zhi () nor his father Cui Qi () was listed with any official titles. Cui Yanzhao and Wang Ning () were cousins (their mothers were sisters), but they developed an enmity because Wang passed the imperial examinations in the "Jinshi" class first and became arrogant. On one occasion after Wang did so (but before Cui would eventually do so as well, in 849), when Cui was at Wang's house, Wang met him while dressed informally (thus showing a lack of respect), and further commented to Cui, "Maybe you should take the "Mingjing" [(明經)] examination instead." This greatly offended Cui, as the "Mingjing" examination was considered far less prestigious than the "Jinshi" examination. Still, even by this point, Cui was known for his deep understanding of Confucianism. After Cui himself passed the imperial examinations in 849 (during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong), he served on the staffs of several regional governors. He was known for his understanding of the economy as well as administrative capabilities.