Full reference for that article: K Strange 1980 "In search of the Celestial Empire" Llafur 3 (1) Spring 1980 , pp 44 - 86. Unfortunately I don't think it is available online -- I had to borrow a rather tatty copy from a friend.

My pleasure! We are a bit off topic here -- maybe we should start a Celestial City fan club or something!! It must have been quite a place - and I have tried to capture something of the atmosphere in my novel.

Brian, thank you so much! going to go hunt for information on that and look for those references you mentioned. I particularly want to know about the 1830s in Merthyr but this sounds fantastic

Keith Strange is your man -- see his article "The Celestial City" --it's a fascinating social history.

This is a brief note about China, from one of the web sites:

There are two interesting articles written on the subject, one by the historian David Jones, who was the expert on crime in Wales and the other by Doctor Keith Strange, whose doctorate is about Merthyr Tydfil in the 1840s. Keiths fascinating article, The Celestial City describes China as a den of drunkards, thieves, rogues and prostitutes, whose general behaviour was completely foreign to the normal hard working respectable Welsh Chapel way of life. He once said that he thought the term China might have arisen because Britain had a long Opium War with China and the early nineteenth century newspapers are full of stories of China as the dreadful land of our enemies, and foreigners; equally China in Merthyr Tydfil was the land of undesirables and foreigners (possibly also the place where opium could be smoked). China was in the news and it was known that here was the Forbidden City which no one could enter and return from alive. Few strangers were able to return safely from China in Merthyr Tydfil with all their possessions. The attitude of police was that you entered China at your peril; certainly the police themselves did not dare go into China. Entering China was not easy as the district was bounded by water, a dangerous smoking tip and a row of large dwellings, the entrance to China was under an arch and there were door-keepers to send messages warning the residents. However, by the 1880s there were reports in the Merthyr Express that Old China is not the same. Gradually China declined; the professional criminals moved to Cardiff for richer pickings and in the twentieth century Riverside, which also had an entrance under an arch, became the most notorious part of the town. Although it must be said that many people today remember old Riverside as a place with very decent people.

@Brian...dont know if you saw my comment on the AC Blog review re: China. Loved your description of it in the book. Wondered if you knew of any sources on China and the criminal underworld that inhabited it. Gaabriel is looking for some stuff for a literary project she is working on. Is there anything you would recommend? We have Gwyn's book on the Merthyr Rising but nothing on China specifically.

I'm wondering when ( if ever ) we'll get to see it over here. Probably have to wait for the DVD

Just checked and the DVD is due out in the UK on 19 March. Cannot see it on Amazon.com (only on co.uk).

Setting seems to be correct if in Beacons. I loved the book and I look forward to seeing the film although it won't open in Carmarthen until next month so will have to wait.

Sorry -- you are quite right, Ceri. SE Wales, I should have said............

RE:"given that the setting was NE Wales" - The book is actually set in the Olchon and Honddu valleys in the Black Mountains in S.E Wales not very far from Pen Y Fan.