Navigating Life's Ups and Downs
The Core Principles of 八字 BāZì, the Four Pillars of Destiny, Book 1
 

Book Review - Maria Wibisana (2024)

​

As an insightful introduction to BaZi, this book aims to familiarize readers with the Chinese metaphysics system known as BaZi. It is a well-known method that analyzes a person's birth chart, based on the time and date of birth, to gain a deeper understanding of one’s strengths, weaknesses, and life path.

   The author, Hadi Sumoro, demonstrates how BaZi can guide individuals through life’s unpredictable journey, emphasizing the balance between fate and free will. He also explores how the interactions of the Five Elements influence our lives. The preface encourages readers to avoid focusing too heavily on expectations, along with the gentle reminder to remain humble throughout the reading process. It suggests the readers to seek the hidden patterns within the bigger picture, so that current actions can be calculated and planned for future challenges.

   The book breaks down the complexities of BaZi slowly and philosophically, offering a clear structure and explanations to help readers understand how the elements influence their charts. Whether the reader is new to the discipline or more experienced, the book offers valuable insights through the author’s seasoned perspective as a BaZi practitioner. Beginner readers, however, may need to take notes as they encounter many unfamiliar terms (including Chinese terms), which require some memorization. The book also includes numerous informative tables and charts, so the need to flip through the pages is a frequent occurrence.

   Starting with the basic concepts of Yin and Yang, the book delves deeper into the Trinity of Luck, which consists of the influences of Heaven, Earth, and Human luck. From there, readers are introduced to the Five Elements, including the planets they represent, as well as the qualities and associations linked to each element. This foundational chapter also covers the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, and their interactions, such as the Producing/Controlling Cycle and the types of Harmonies, before transitioning to the next chapter on Birth charts. This section also includes an introduction to the Chinese calendar, which is used to plot BaZi charts.

   From there, the author describes each component of the BaZi chart in detail, to then discuss its flow and structure. A particularly engaging chapter is devoted to real-life examples, including the birth charts of famous figures, such as Donald Trump. Some interesting sets of reverse proof, peeling the life history of the figure by analyzing their BaZi birth chart. By examining and comparing the chart to real-life events, the author demonstrates how the flow of elements either supports or hinders various aspects of their lives.
   
   Overall, this book offers a perceptive and thought-provoking guide that opens the door to the fascinating world of BaZi. The author does an excellent job of breaking down the intricacies of the BaZi system, in a way that is both engaging and quite relatable. That said, the book could still benefit from more visual aids that can help (especially) beginners improve accessibility and ease the understanding process. Nevertheless, the book shines in its comprehensive approach, offering rich knowledge that both newcomers and seasoned practitioners will find valuable.