Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) a Chinese person; occas. Japanese.

1840		Jeffersonian Republican (PA) 29 Feb. 4/1: Ven mortals try to stop our grog, Jim / [...] / And celestials stop our tea.
1841		W. Kent Guardian 23 Jan. 2/4: Our guns in a crack or two forced the Celestial to [etc.].
1854		Soulé, Gihon & Nisbet Annals of S.F. 378: Those who have mingled familiarly with ‘celestials’ have commonly felt before long an uncontrollable sort of loathing against them.
1856		C. Abbey diary 14 Sept. in Gosnell Before the Mast (1989) 75: A crowd of eager and interested ‘Celestials’ of all grades of society.
1865		H.L. Williams Joaquin 12: When ‘salting’ claims to catch the pig-tail Celestials hardly was tried, folks were selfish.
1869		J.R. Browne Adventures in Apache Country 390: A dozen of them are gathered about the camp of the Celestials [...] Their contempt for the Chinese is sublime.
1879		Des Moines Register (IA) 6 July 3/5: A sheepish look stole over the two Celestial’s faces.
1881		Argus (Melbourne) 8 Oct. 4/5: The Celestials were agoing it [...] having their fling in Shanghai.
1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 21 Jan. 6/4: The excitement of the table, tho chatter of the monkey-like Celestials and the general barbaric air of these [gambling] dens are astounding .
1892		A. Bierce ‘Peaceable Expulsion’ Black Beetles in Amber 246: O pig-tail Celestial [...] Abominable Chinee!
1894		Mirror of Life 27 Jan. 7/4: Celestials would entice young girls [...] into their dens and induce them to try the pipe.
1898		F.W. Hume Hagar of the Pawn-Shop 76: Cuss all Celestials, say I!
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 Oct. 29/1: After about six weeks, when the Chinkie is supposed to ‘savvy’ all about the machinery, the white brother gets the sack on some paltry excuse, the yellow man being kept on in charge, of course at reduced screw. As to a Chow’s capacity for looking after machinery ‘on his own,’ present writer recollects a case that occurred on a steamer manned by Celestials.
1900		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 24 Feb. 3/1: When he had finished with the slant-eyed celestials had over two-thirds of the money.
1910		C. Meredith Peggy of Cape Town 83: The girl entered the room, followed by the elderly Chinaman. [...] ‘What you do,’ demanded the celestial. ‘You killee my friend, eh?’.
1912		Truth (Wellington) 6 Apr. 6/4: The cunning Celestial, despite his bland policy of ‘no savee’, quite comprehended.
1918		‘A-No. 1’ Mother of the Hoboes 68: ‘What’s that you’re jabbering?’ Wabash Dan roughly inquired of the Celestial.
1948		S.J. Perelman letter 26 June in Crowther Don’t Tread on Me (1987) 76: If you are visited by any slant-eyed Celestials from Chefoo or Macao who present IOU’s [...] I beg your indulgence.