Cut 4 ounces of pork loin or chicken breast into thin 1/4-inch slivers. For chicken breast, cut across the grain for the most tender result. Add the salt, sugar, light soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, cornstarch, and vegetable oil. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.

Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms under cold running water to remove any dirt. Place them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid for the broth.

Place the dried black fungus in a separate bowl and pour boiling water over them. Soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Discard the soaking liquid.

Place the dried daylily buds in a bowl and cover with cool water. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Discard the soaking liquid.

After soaking, lightly squeeze the shiitake mushrooms to remove excess water. Slice off the tough stems and discard them. Cut the caps into thin 1/8-inch strips.

For the black fungus, find the small tough section where it was attached to the tree and slice it off. Roll each piece into a cigar shape and cut into 1/4-inch slivers.

For the daylilies, trim the tough ends from both sides and cut each one in half lengthwise.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer. Add the marinated pork or chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked through. Remove with a spider strainer and set aside. Cooking the protein separately keeps the broth clean and clear.

Add the bamboo shoots to the same simmering water and blanch for 30 to 60 seconds to remove any metallic, tinny flavor. Remove and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix 5 tablespoons of cornstarch with 5 tablespoons of water and stir until completely smooth. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water until homogeneous. Set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 3 tablespoons of Chinese black vinegar, 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper, and 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil. Stir and set aside. These go in at the very end, off the heat.

Add 6 cups of prepared Asian chicken broth to a large pot. Replace some of the water with reserved shiitake mushroom soaking liquid for extra savoriness. Heat over medium heat until hot.

Season the broth with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of Chinese light soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of Chinese dark soy sauce. Stir until dissolved and taste for seasoning. The broth should taste well seasoned on its own.

Whisk in 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. Grating rather than dicing gives you the flavor without chunky pieces.

Add the poached protein, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, daylilies, julienned carrots, blanched bamboo shoots, and sliced firm tofu to the broth. Heat everything through for 3 to 5 minutes.

Slowly raise the heat until the broth reaches a gentle simmer. Stir the cornstarch slurry again (it will have settled) and slowly pour it into the broth while stirring constantly. Let the slurry thicken the broth for 1 to 2 minutes. It will seem thicker than you expect, but the vinegar will loosen it slightly later. Test by dipping a spoon in. The broth should coat the back of the spoon.

Lower the heat to just below a simmer. Slowly drizzle in the beaten egg in as thin a stream as possible. Do not stir the soup while adding the egg. Let the egg set for about 1 minute in the thickened broth. The viscosity of the thickened broth acts as a raft, suspending the egg so it forms wispy ribbon strands. After the egg has set, gently stir to distribute it evenly.

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool very slightly for about 30 seconds. Pour in the prepared vinegar, white pepper, and sesame oil mixture and stir it through the soup. Taste and adjust with extra vinegar or white pepper to your preference.