Chinese Cloisonne Book Box?

Any idea what this item is used for or how old it is or isn't? Looks like cloisonne. Measures about 5 inches by 3.5 inches. I am guessing Chinese. Thanks!

 

trinket box...in a book shape....

 

Very pretty.

 

Lovely and unusual. It is Chinese cloisonné, with some archaic style script on the back.
It is in good condition, the gilding too. Maybe mid 20th century?

The 'title' is probably of a famous Chinese book. Maybe @Silver Wolf or @JayBee can tell us what it says.

 

it was wrote july 1881,but considering the condition of its below,like what AJ said,it could be 20th century copy made,but i think it's beautiful,never saw cloissone in that form,well find!

 

Thanks for the great info! Much appreciated!

 

I suspect cigarettes originally.

 

possible...but that square rim on the lid might crush a soft cigarette as it was pressed into the box....?? so I'm not down with that.

 

Smaller cigarettes in the past, hm?

 

I think the square bit is the base and the cigarettes would go in that.

But then, my first thought was cigarette box, so I'm inclined to make that work.

 

I'm thinking notecards to record things like in a dairy. Case would keep them secure and undamaged.

 

The two characters on the "cover" of the book are the name of the Chinese writer Lu Xun (鲁迅）and is dated September 1881. Same characters on the spine of the book, just written in "seal script" (Zhuan Shu) but I have no idea what the box might have been used for. Looks like a common arts & crafts box -- there were (and I believe still are) many such items being produced in China. When I arrived in China (beginning of 1980s) we used to visit the factories producing these. They were sold in the souvenir shops for foreigners, Friendship Stores, etc. Given the dimensions, it could be a cigarette box.

 

OK...I'm more down with that approach...

 

Jaybe, THANK YOU for that detailed post. Most appreciated!

 

The characters on cover says "Lu Xun (鲁迅）, Sept. 1881." Lu Xun was a famous Chinese writer, born in Sept 1881. So this book shaped box was obviously made in memory of Lu Xun (1881 - 1936), therefore, is should date to mid-late 20th century (I believe it was after 1950). This shape of cigarette box is rare, and should have some value if in good condition.