If you take a glance though Chinese history books, your eyes will from time to time be drawn to some foreign names. Often, they are of westerners who have made a contribution, in one form or another, to cultural exchange between China and the West. Most prominent among these people are Marco Polo and Matteo Ricci‎. Less well known, but in some ways no less important, is a man by the name of George Ernest Morrison. He was an Australian adventurer and the Peking correspondent with The Times of London from 1897 until 1912. A sign of his influence is that the most famous business street in China was once called Morrison Street in his honor. He witnessed – and even played a role in – many of the historic events in China's modern history. Today, we begin a 7-part series about G. E. Morrison, whose life story provides a unique perspective, for understanding the modern history of China.