Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups of water for at least 2 hours until fully rehydrated and soft. Reserve the soaking liquid if desired (strain it first), or discard.

Blanch the chicken: Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for 3-5 minutes to release impurities and scum. Discard this boiling water and rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water.

In a clean large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the blanched chicken, 8 cups of fresh water, ginger slices, rice wine, and the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Add the deseeded red dates to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Stir in the goji berries and season with salt. Simmer for a final 5-10 minutes. Avoid cooking goji berries too long to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Serve hot, ladling the clear broth, chicken, and mushrooms into bowls.