diff --git a/deepmd/common.py b/deepmd/common.py
index c9873a6d94..3ab936db67 100644
--- a/deepmd/common.py
+++ b/deepmd/common.py
@@ -207,6 +207,30 @@ def expand_sys_str(root_dir: Union[str, Path]) -> list[str]:
     return matches
 
 
+def rglob_sys_str(root_dir: str, patterns: list[str]) -> list[str]:
+    """Recursively iterate over directories taking those that contain `type.raw` file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    root_dir : str, Path
+        starting directory
+    patterns : list[str]
+        list of glob patterns to match directories
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    list[str]
+        list of string pointing to system directories
+    """
+    root_dir = Path(root_dir)
+    matches = []
+    for pattern in patterns:
+        matches.extend(
+            [str(d) for d in root_dir.rglob(pattern) if (d / "type.raw").is_file()]
+        )
+    return list(set(matches))  # remove duplicates
+
+
 def get_np_precision(precision: "_PRECISION") -> np.dtype:
     """Get numpy precision constant from string.
 
diff --git a/deepmd/pt/entrypoints/main.py b/deepmd/pt/entrypoints/main.py
index 3fe507ecc2..0e248583ec 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/entrypoints/main.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/entrypoints/main.py
@@ -114,9 +114,11 @@ def prepare_trainer_input_single(
             validation_dataset_params["systems"] if validation_dataset_params else None
         )
         training_systems = training_dataset_params["systems"]
-        training_systems = process_systems(training_systems)
+        trn_patterns = training_dataset_params.get("rglob_patterns", None)
+        training_systems = process_systems(training_systems, patterns=trn_patterns)
         if validation_systems is not None:
-            validation_systems = process_systems(validation_systems)
+            val_patterns = validation_dataset_params.get("rglob_patterns", None)
+            validation_systems = process_systems(validation_systems, val_patterns)
 
         # stat files
         stat_file_path_single = data_dict_single.get("stat_file", None)
diff --git a/deepmd/utils/argcheck.py b/deepmd/utils/argcheck.py
index 42ae982f89..fb911550dd 100644
--- a/deepmd/utils/argcheck.py
+++ b/deepmd/utils/argcheck.py
@@ -2926,6 +2926,9 @@ def training_data_args():  # ! added by Ziyao: new specification style for data
         "This key can be provided with a list that specifies the systems, or be provided with a string "
         "by which the prefix of all systems are given and the list of the systems is automatically generated."
     )
+    doc_patterns = (
+        "The customized patterns used in `rglob` to collect all training systems. "
+    )
     doc_batch_size = f'This key can be \n\n\
 - list: the length of which is the same as the {link_sys}. The batch size of each system is given by the elements of the list.\n\n\
 - int: all {link_sys} use the same batch size.\n\n\
@@ -2949,6 +2952,13 @@ def training_data_args():  # ! added by Ziyao: new specification style for data
         Argument(
             "systems", [list[str], str], optional=False, default=".", doc=doc_systems
         ),
+        Argument(
+            "rglob_patterns",
+            [list[str]],
+            optional=True,
+            default=None,
+            doc=doc_patterns + doc_only_pt_supported,
+        ),
         Argument(
             "batch_size",
             [list[int], int, str],
@@ -2995,6 +3005,9 @@ def validation_data_args():  # ! added by Ziyao: new specification style for dat
         "This key can be provided with a list that specifies the systems, or be provided with a string "
         "by which the prefix of all systems are given and the list of the systems is automatically generated."
     )
+    doc_patterns = (
+        "The customized patterns used in `rglob` to collect all validation systems. "
+    )
     doc_batch_size = f'This key can be \n\n\
 - list: the length of which is the same as the {link_sys}. The batch size of each system is given by the elements of the list.\n\n\
 - int: all {link_sys} use the same batch size.\n\n\
@@ -3015,6 +3028,13 @@ def validation_data_args():  # ! added by Ziyao: new specification style for dat
         Argument(
             "systems", [list[str], str], optional=False, default=".", doc=doc_systems
         ),
+        Argument(
+            "rglob_patterns",
+            [list[str]],
+            optional=True,
+            default=None,
+            doc=doc_patterns + doc_only_pt_supported,
+        ),
         Argument(
             "batch_size",
             [list[int], int, str],
diff --git a/deepmd/utils/data_system.py b/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
index fbc9c1a684..07dab35a90 100644
--- a/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
+++ b/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from deepmd.common import (
     expand_sys_str,
     make_default_mesh,
+    rglob_sys_str,
 )
 from deepmd.env import (
     GLOBAL_NP_FLOAT_PRECISION,
@@ -730,7 +731,9 @@ def prob_sys_size_ext(keywords, nsystems, nbatch):
     return sys_probs
 
 
-def process_systems(systems: Union[str, list[str]]) -> list[str]:
+def process_systems(
+    systems: Union[str, list[str]], patterns: Optional[list[str]] = None
+) -> list[str]:
     """Process the user-input systems.
 
     If it is a single directory, search for all the systems in the directory.
@@ -740,6 +743,8 @@ def process_systems(systems: Union[str, list[str]]) -> list[str]:
     ----------
     systems : str or list of str
         The user-input systems
+    patterns : list of str, optional
+        The patterns to match the systems, by default None
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -747,7 +752,10 @@ def process_systems(systems: Union[str, list[str]]) -> list[str]:
         The valid systems
     """
     if isinstance(systems, str):
-        systems = expand_sys_str(systems)
+        if patterns is None:
+            systems = expand_sys_str(systems)
+        else:
+            systems = rglob_sys_str(systems, patterns)
     elif isinstance(systems, list):
         systems = systems.copy()
     return systems
@@ -777,7 +785,8 @@ def get_data(
         The data system
     """
     systems = jdata["systems"]
-    systems = process_systems(systems)
+    rglob_patterns = jdata.get("rglob_patterns", None)
+    systems = process_systems(systems, patterns=rglob_patterns)
 
     batch_size = jdata["batch_size"]
     sys_probs = jdata.get("sys_probs", None)
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/test_training.py b/source/tests/pt/test_training.py
index ad52c5db16..3df95e4b14 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/test_training.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/test_training.py
@@ -516,5 +516,28 @@ def tearDown(self) -> None:
                 shutil.rmtree(f)
 
 
+class TestCustomizedRGLOB(unittest.TestCase, DPTrainTest):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        input_json = str(Path(__file__).parent / "water/se_atten.json")
+        with open(input_json) as f:
+            self.config = json.load(f)
+        self.config["training"]["training_data"]["rglob_patterns"] = [
+            "water/data/data_*"
+        ]
+        self.config["training"]["training_data"]["systems"] = str(Path(__file__).parent)
+        self.config["training"]["validation_data"]["rglob_patterns"] = [
+            "water/*/data_0"
+        ]
+        self.config["training"]["validation_data"]["systems"] = str(
+            Path(__file__).parent
+        )
+        self.config["model"] = deepcopy(model_dpa1)
+        self.config["training"]["numb_steps"] = 1
+        self.config["training"]["save_freq"] = 1
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        DPTrainTest.tearDown(self)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()