What the title says. I’m not looking for books that teach you kanji, just that talk about them from a historical or a linguistics point of view for example.
I think I’d prefer some Japanese titles but I guess English is fine too!
I am not sure about your main interest but about history but I can mention 3 books. All of them speaks about the kanji evolution which is associated with China’s history. 1 – About kanji history based from a calligraphy perspective : 和漢書道史 （https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784819501453） This one was hard to read for me but has the more detailed explanation in the kanji history. 2 – This one is a dictionnary which a large number of kanjis (all joyos at least) : 常用字解 （白川静）（https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784582128109） For each kanji it will tell you the orginal form and it’s evolution in term of shape and meaning 3 – About kanji’s shape history : 漢字字形史 （落合淳思) (https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784497219121) It is more or less a dictionnary but contains a good interoduction about kanji history (like 1st book with china’s era and kanji shape) then for a number of kanjis (like 1000) show you how the shape evolves with graphs for shape derivations. There is another on I would love to have but it is an old book which is not published anymore : 文字の書き方字典 (阿保 直彦) (https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784839327118) It is orientes to calligraphy but contains each kanji history explanation. It is a bit designed for young student so the easier to read. it also talk about kana.
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I am not sure about your main interest but about history but I can mention 3 books. All of them speaks about the kanji evolution which is associated with China’s history.
1 – About kanji history based from a calligraphy perspective : 和漢書道史 （https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784819501453）
This one was hard to read for me but has the more detailed explanation in the kanji history.
2 – This one is a dictionnary which a large number of kanjis (all joyos at least) : 常用字解 （白川静）（https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784582128109）
For each kanji it will tell you the orginal form and it’s evolution in term of shape and meaning
3 – About kanji’s shape history : 漢字字形史 （落合淳思) (https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784497219121)
It is more or less a dictionnary but contains a good interoduction about kanji history (like 1st book with china’s era and kanji shape) then for a number of kanjis (like 1000) show you how the shape evolves with graphs for shape derivations.
There is another on I would love to have but it is an old book which is not published anymore : 文字の書き方字典 (阿保 直彦) (https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784839327118)
It is orientes to calligraphy but contains each kanji history explanation. It is a bit designed for young student so the easier to read. it also talk about kana.