Matas Šalčius (September 20, 1890 – May 26, 1940) was a Lithuanian traveler, journalist, writer, political figure. Šalčius was born in the Čiudiškiai village in the modern Prienai district, central Lithuania (at that time part of the Russian Empire). He attended Marijampolė Gymnasium. While studying he began writing articles for newspapers, launching his career in journalism. Šalčius later worked as a teacher in Šilutė district. He was a prominent critic of tsarist Russia so soon he had flee from political persecution. Then Šalčius began his first travels through China, Japan to the United States where he continued his work as a journalist.