Hung Dao is a pro at this.

The Chinese shar-pei is a champion, so strutting on stage at today's Splendor of China event should be a piece of dog biscuit.

"It's going to be fun," said Victor Lim, organizer of the event's Chinese-dog show and owner of six shar-peis, including Hung Dao. "It's not stuffy, it's loose, it's anything goes."

And it's fine timing: Next year is the Year of the Dog in the Chinese lunar calendar.

"We thought it would be fun to bring these dogs on stage and talk a little about the history of each dog, show people what these dogs look like," Lim said. "So it's not only fun but educational. And maybe eye-opening."

The shar-pei is just one of several breeds of dogs with origins in China. The pug, chow chow, shih tzu, Lhasa apso and Pekingese all hail from China. As does the Chinese crested dog, one of the most popular — and ugliest, but in a cute way — of the Chinese breeds.

They will all be working the crowd at 2 p.m. this weekend at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.

It may seem odd to have a dog show in the middle of a cultural event, but organizers say it actually fits perfectly in what they want to achieve: a greater understanding of and appreciation for all things Chinese.

"What we're trying to do is share our rich culture," said Ed Pei, chairman of the event and first vice president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i, one of the event's sponsors. "When people think about the Chinese (culture), they think of food and lion dancing. But obviously, there's more to it."

The event started three years ago as Taste of China. But too many people thought it was all about food. So event organizers changed the name this year to Splendor of China, hoping people will expect more than just char siu bao.

"We didn't want people to be misled and think this show is all about food," Pei said. "Of course, there will be food. But it's really a cross-spectrum of cultural displays and activities."

This weekend's Splendor of China will feature everything from a Chinese calligraphy demonstration to a ping-pong tournament open to the public. The event will also launch the 57th annual Narcissus Festival, one of Hawai'i's oldest and best-known ethnic pageants. Last year, more than 8,000 people attended the event. Organizers expect at least 12,000 this year.

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.