Combine the 4 oz. julienned pork shoulder with 1 tablespoon water until the meat has absorbed the water. Add a pinch of salt, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch and mix until combined. Set aside.

Cut the dried chilies in half and discard the seeds. Mince them up and set aside.

In separate bowls, soak the dried lily flowers, wood ears, and shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup of water each for 1 to 2 hours, until hydrated. Using hot water will significantly speed up the process.

Once they are ready, thinly slice the mushrooms and give the wood ears a rough chop. Trim the tough ends off the lily flowers and cut them in half.

Cut both the spiced tofu and the firm tofu into 2-inch long and 1/4-inch thick pieces. Julienne the bamboo shoots. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Wash and chop the scallion and set aside.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a wok or pot. If the pork has clumped and stuck together, add another tablespoon of water to loosen it up before adding to the soup.

Stir in the pork and quickly break up any clumps. Once the soup is simmering again, skim off any foam that floats to the top with a fine meshed strainer.

Add the salt, sugar, dried chili pepper (if using), white pepper, both soy sauces, and sesame oil.

Next, add the lily flowers, wood ears, shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots and bring the soup to a simmer once again.

Add the two kinds of tofu and the vinegar and stir.

Combine the 1/3 cup cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry. Ensure it is well-combined, as the cornstarch tends to settle to the bottom.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and use your soup ladle to stir the soup in a steady circular motion to make a whirlpool while slowly drizzling in the cornstarch slurry. Stop when you are about 3/4 done and check thickness.

Check consistency of the soup, ensuring it is thick enough to coat your spoon. Add the rest of the cornstarch slurry if you prefer it thicker.

Once the soup is at the preferred thickness, taste and adjust. Add more white pepper for heat or more vinegar for sourness.

Keep the soup simmering (ensure it is bubbling before adding egg to prevent cloudiness) and stir in a circular motion. Drizzle the beaten egg slowly into the swirling soup to create beautiful egg ribbons.

Serve the soup hot garnished with chopped scallions.