一葉知秋

Crux: Notes as "Blood of the Unorthodox," Difficult to Integrate into the Cognitive Meridians#

Initially, my Obsidian note-taking system was no different from the mainstream: it used a tree structure for vertical categorization (such as "Literature, Poetry Excerpts," "Inspiration Capture," "Medical Case Records," "Miscellaneous Diary," "Professional Discussions," etc.), supplemented by a tagging system for horizontal connections (such as #Clinical, #Formulas). At the same time, I introduced simple note status attributes (Paused, Shelved, Completed, In Progress, Archived) and an "Inbox" folder as an entry point.

Although this system was "usable," it gradually revealed problems: the note "revisit rate" was extremely low, and archiving meant sealing them away; there was a lack of evaluation criteria and filtering mechanisms for the value of note content (Useful/Not Useful), leading to a gradual rigidity in the system. Notes became like "blood of the unorthodox," scattered everywhere, difficult to merge into the nourishing "meridians" of cognition.

Breaking the Deadlock: Knowledge as Subtle Essence, Needs Transformation through Organs to Become Vital Energy#

Recently, I resolved to conduct a "thorough cleaning," and an inspiration struck: why not refer to the widely popular PARA management method and deeply integrate core theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine to construct an interesting and truly unique knowledge hub system for TCM practitioners?

Information is like food; it needs to be "digested" to be useful. This process is akin to savoring delicacies and transforming the essence of food and drink. Therefore, let us systematically organize the internalization process of knowledge through the path of TCM. First, let the "old TCM practitioners" enlighten us:

1. Understanding the Foundation: The Origin of Information and Media#

1. What is information?
   • Information is the mapping or representation of the attributes, states, and interrelations of things on specific carriers. In knowledge management, it is the raw material we perceive, receive, and record (text, data, ideas, cases, etc.).
2. Is media the same as information?
   • According to the thoughts of communication scholar Marshall McLuhan, the nature of the medium itself (not just the content it conveys) profoundly shapes our perception, thinking, and social organization.
   • Characteristics of Obsidian as a medium:
     • Atomicity and Relationality: Using "card notes" as the basic unit (atomicity), establishing deep connections through bidirectional links and relational graphs (relationality). This itself guides a nonlinear, networked way of thinking, aligning with the holistic view and relational thinking of TCM.
     • Local Priority and Plasticity: Data is stored locally, giving users complete control; highly customizable through a plugin system. This empowers us to build a personalized "information environment" that aligns with TCM cognitive habits.
     • Plain Text and Long-termism: Based on Markdown plain text, the format is open, ensuring that the knowledge base is accessible and transferable in the long term, conducive to the sedimentation and transmission of knowledge.
   • How does Obsidian carry information and internalize knowledge?
     • Obsidian is not just a container (storing information); its unique medium characteristics (links, graphs, localization, plasticity) participate in the organization, reconstruction, and internalization of knowledge. It encourages establishing connections, discovering patterns, and forming structures, thus facilitating the transformation of information into a personalized, usable knowledge system. In the context of TCM, Obsidian acts as a tool for building "meridians," helping us connect scattered "vital energy" (information) into a coherent "meridian network" (knowledge system).

2. Enhancing Knowledge "Medicinal Properties": Second-order Five Elements Management Method#

(Also known as Yin-Yang Five Elements Management Method, or simply Knowledge Hub Method)
To overcome the drawbacks of the old system's "rigidity" and "inefficiency," I attempted to reconstruct the essence of PARA (Project, Area, Resource, Archive) using the Yin-Yang Five Elements attributes, simulating the process of the human body transforming the essence of food and drink, forming a dynamic knowledge internalization "production line":

The "Suwen: Discussion on Meridians" suggests: The internalization of knowledge is like the subtle transformation of "ingested into the stomach, circulating essence, and transported to the spleen. The spleen disperses essence, returning to the lungs, regulating the water pathways, and finally "the essence of water is distributed, and the five meridians run concurrently..." This passage exquisitely describes the absorption, distribution, and utilization process of the essence of food and drink: starting with the stomach's reception (ingestion), through the spleen's transformation (conversion and distribution), returning to the lungs (dissemination), regulating the water pathways (metabolic regulation), ultimately "the essence of water is distributed, and the five meridians run concurrently" (nourishing the whole body). The internalization of knowledge is remarkably similar: starting with collection (stomach reception), through processing and refining (spleen transformation), associating and integrating (lung dissemination), integrating into the system (regulating water pathways), ultimately nourishing cognition and guiding practice (the essence of water is distributed).

Based on this, a two-stage Five Elements flow model is constructed:

Stage One: Processing Line#

Yang Attribute: Yang is external, active, and transforms energy: This stage corresponds to the "ingestion" and "initial processing" of knowledge, a dynamic, outward process that transforms "raw information" into "usable material," akin to the warming and uplifting nature of Yang energy.

1. 🌱 Wood - Growth (Resource Collection | Resource - R)
   • Core Principle: Wood is expansive and smooth. In this stage, all potentially relevant information fragments are collected without judgment, encouraging "growth" of inspiration, avoiding suppression.
   • Types of Materials: Fragmented inspirations, external resource excerpts (brilliant ideas/literature/case studies/data/lecture notes/papers/interview records), and unprocessed "Inbox" content.
2. 🔥 Fire - Melting (Processing Thoughts | Processing - P)
   • Core Principle: Fire is warm, uplifting, and dynamic. This stage requires a steady "heat" to initially process and activate raw materials, giving them a preliminary form.
   • Processing Actions: Rough processing of information (marking sources, deduplication, merging similar items), initial associative thinking (establishing simple links with existing notes), deleting obviously ineffective/low-quality content (outdated data, meaningless reposts).
3. ⛰️ Earth - Transformation (Summarizing & Deep Purification | Archive - A)
   • Core Principle: Earth governs transformation, elevating the clear and lowering the turbid. This stage is key for deep refining and purification.
   • ⬆️ Elevating the Clear (Extracting Essence): Structuring and reorganizing fragmented information, extracting core conclusions and essence.
   • ⬇️ Lowering the Turbid (Eliminating Waste): Thoroughly deleting redundant, contradictory, and low-confidence content; archiving secondary but valuable materials (such as raw data, long quotations).
   • Output: "Knowledge Semi-finished Product" - high purity, modular, and preliminarily structured content, possessing deep processing value.

Stage Two: Refining Line#

Yin Attribute: Yin is internal, static, and forms: This stage corresponds to the "deep internalization" and "system construction" of knowledge, a relatively static, inward process that condenses "semi-finished products" into "essence" and settles as "foundation," akin to the tranquil nurturing and solidification of Yin energy.

1. 🪨 Metal - Quenching (Internalizing and Refining | Area Intensive)
   • Core Principle: Metal is sedimentary, convergent, and transformative. This stage focuses on deep internalization and refinement.
   • Core Actions:
     • Deeply integrate "knowledge semi-finished products" into a personal TCM theoretical framework.
     • Construct "knowledge crystals" - stable structures, clear logic, reusable, capable of solving specific problems (such as a mature diagnostic thought process, a refined formula analysis model).
     • Conduct deep associations: Establish strong logical connections with new and old "knowledge crystals," forming more complex knowledge structures (compounds/molecules). Utilize Obsidian's relational graph for visual connections.
2. 🌊 Water - Storage (Knowledge Confluence | Knowledge Ocean)
   • Core Principle: Water is moistening, closed, circulating, and nourishing. This stage is the hub of systematization and feedback cycles.
   • Core Actions:
     • Systematically integrate the refined "knowledge crystals" into specific domain (Area) knowledge bases (such as "Study of Treatise on Cold Damage," "Clinical Gastrointestinal Diseases," "Essentials of Acupuncture Point Selection").
     • These domain knowledge bases are like rivers flowing into the sea, becoming the source of nourishing future thoughts and practices.
     • Utilize Obsidian's relational view to observe how knowledge evolves dynamically from "atoms" (individual notes) to "molecules" (knowledge crystals) and then to "organisms" (domain knowledge bases).

• Water nourishes Wood: The ocean of stored knowledge (water) provides richer soil and higher quality source water for a new round of knowledge growth (wood/resource collection), forming a continuous positive cycle. The ultimate goal is to extract insights and patterns that are "close to the Dao."

Five Elements Status Comparison Table#

(Note: The "Metal" and "Water" stages jointly serve the "Area" in PARA, with Metal focusing on deep study and construction within the domain, while Water emphasizes the systematization and circulation of knowledge within that domain.)

System Advantages#

• Yin-Yang and Five Elements, Dynamic Cycle: The interdependence of Yin and Yang (processing as Yang, refining as Yin) and the generative cycle of the Five Elements (Water nourishes Wood → Wood generates Fire → Fire creates Earth → Earth produces Metal → Metal generates Water) together construct a living, balanced, self-driven knowledge ecosystem, effectively solving the "archiving equals death" problem.
• Elevation and Deposition, Value Screening: The "Earth" transformation (elevating the clear and lowering the turbid) and "Metal" refining stages enforce value judgment and deep processing, akin to the organs "elevating the clear and lowering the turbid," ensuring that the knowledge entering the system possesses "medicinal properties."
• TCM Thinking, Seamlessly Embedded: Using Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and organ transformation theories as the underlying logic, the operational process naturally aligns with TCM cognitive patterns, making the knowledge management process also a process of understanding the TCM way.
• Obsidian as the Tool, the Hub is Formed: Bidirectional links and relational graphs perfectly support the construction of "knowledge crystals" and the visualization of "meridian networks"; the powerful customizability allows this TCM-specific hub system to be realized.

Medical Advice: The System is Like a Formula, Valuable in Adapting to Evidence#

No knowledge management system is an absolute standard. While the "Knowledge Hub Method" is theoretically coherent, its effectiveness still relies on one's consistent maintenance. It is essential to understand that knowledge management is meant to better serve oneself, not to impose limitations. Just as a doctor prescribes medicine, one should not be rigid in formulas but should flexibly adjust according to one's understanding and rhythm to continuously move forward.

Implementation Guide:#

The Knowledge Hub Method is used within YAML attributes, focusing on status marking and dynamic management:

1. YAML Attribute Marking#

In the YAML attributes of each note, establish tags, creation time, status, and quality classification:

Example Image:

Tips: You can set the YAML attributes as a template to apply directly when creating new notes.

2. Dynamic Tracking and Management#

• Utilize Obsidian's core search: Quickly locate notes with specific statuses, tags, or keywords.
• Utilize the powerful features of the Dataview plugin:
  • Create dynamic views: Automatically summarize, filter, and sort notes by status, tags, quality, etc.
  • Set up Kanban boards: Visually display the flow of notes across different statuses.
  • Generate reminders: Mark notes that have been in "To be Refined" or "Intensive Study" status for a long time, prompting action.
  • Establish a review mechanism: Regularly query notes with earlier last-reviewed dates, especially the essence in the "Knowledge Ocean," and schedule re-reading.

Example Images:

3. Recommendations#

Recommendation One: "Herb" Quality Inspection#

When we read and write in Obsidian, we are in the "🔥 Fire - Processing" stage, where evaluating information quality is crucial. We can refer to the medicinal properties thinking to strictly control knowledge quality:

Quality inspections can also be conducted during the inclusion stage and while utilizing Dataview to review notes.

Recommendation Two: Build an Ordered Tag Library#

This point should be well covered in other Obsidian tutorials; horizontal categorization is for facilitating subsequent retrieval, so an orderly tag group is also very important.

Optional One: Five Elements Generative and Restrictive Action Tag Library

Optional Two: Personalized Literary Tag Library
This sample library was generated under the guidance of Teacher D. If you have a pursuit for extreme aesthetics and personalization needs… you can also DIY!

Conclusion#

This "spur-of-the-moment" idea is, in fact, reliant on the medium characteristics of Obsidian to capture inspiration and continuously enrich and perfect it through connections with other notes in the library, ultimately bringing this system from a vague concept into reality.
This knowledge hub system that integrates PARA with TCM's Yin-Yang and Five Elements theories is not just a repository of information; it is a dojo for the "transformation," "refinement," and "storage" of knowledge. By simulating the wisdom of the human body's subtle transformation, we can internalize the complex information into pure knowledge "vital energy," nourishing practice and thought. May this "hub" help you navigate through the meridians of knowledge, flowing endlessly, ultimately reaching the transformative realm that is "close to the Dao."

by 一葉知秋