Basic Chinese herbal soups

This recipe I picked up from my father-in-law. He cooked daily for the kids as my mother-in-law worked 12 hour shifts at a restaurant.

It was hard but they brought up 4 boys and the youngest just started work today. Hope Ma and Pa take it easier from now on.

Here are the minimum herbs you need to make it. If you have more that's a bonus.

Ingredients:
2 honeyed dates
Wolfberries, small handful, soaked
6 dried big red dates, soaked
1 portion of pork for each person (up to 6)
1 big pork bone cut in 2
(Or 1 mid size portion of meat for each person)
1 and half teaspoon of salt
2L of water

And any 1 of the following:
2-3 sections of lotus root, sliced
1 medium sized old cucumber, remove seeds and cut in half then half inch slices
1 large 1-1.5 inch slice if wintermelon,  cut in large cubes (as used in mine today)

I will put everything into my 6L thermal insert bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Taste at 15 minutes.
Salty enough ok.
Cannot taste the main ingredient? Turn up flame, keep lid open a little.

Then put it in the thermal pot to continue slow cook style for another 4-6 hours and keep warm til dinner.

Am building up pantry supplies slowly.  Share with me what else do you put in yours?