Just splendid

Chinese culture and trade are showcased in a popular Honolulu festival

Catering to just one of the five senses apparently wasn't going to be enough for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Splendor of China Trade & Cultural Festival Part of the 59th Narcissus Festival Place: Blaisdell Exhibition Hall Time: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Admission: $5; $3 military and free for children 10 and younger Call: 533-3181 or online at splendorofchina.com

When the local business organization created "Taste of China" five years ago with only 15 vendors, it became quickly apparent that just appealing to the palate wasn't going to cut the mustard. Staged in conjunction with the Narcissus Festival, the event has gotten too big and too popular.

Now showcasing more than a hundred vendors and known as the annual "Splendor of China," the combination trade and cultural festival takes over the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall this weekend. There are Chinese products, crafts, games, entertainment and acrobats, but, still, arrive hungry, for there will be dozens of Chinese food booths.

"It just keeps growing!" said Dennis J. Hwang of the Chinese C of C and chairman of "Splendor." "Each year it gets bigger, more people come, and it keeps improving in quality. It's a bit more commerce now, and this year it's a real good mix. It is attracting interest all over the Pacific.

"The Chinese Chamber of Commerce is doing pretty well these days," he said. "More than 300 members, individuals and companies from here and doing business in China. And most of the various ethnic Chambers in Hawaii are also members of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce."

By nature a kind of cultural trade show, combined with a showcase and networking opportunity -- and a way of briefly moving Chinatown's bustling shops a few miles east for a couple of days -- expect, naturally, a lot of traditional Chinese crafts and products. "The goal is to both present and further Chinese culture," said Hwang, "a showcase."

On the other hand, some of the products simply have a Chinese connection.

"For example, XP Apparel, based in Colorado, will debut their officially licensed Beijing Olympics logo-wear," said Hwang. "It will be the only place in the United States where you can get it now. They're flying in $35,000 of Olympics merchandise."

YOU'LL ALSO see futuristic products, such as Rapid Technology's three-dimensional prototyping process. Coming from China itself are outfits such as China Travel Service, with delegates from both Beijing and Hong Kong.

As one of the title sponsors, Panda Express is offering $1 coupons at their lunch counters for the show.

What else can people expect? "There's a Chinese dog show," said Hwang. "It's a, er, dog show featuring, er, dogs from China. There are many different breeds!"

Which would include the Chinese Crested Dog, acclaimed as the ugliest breed ever.

Also, noted Hwang, for the first time in Hawaii and actually rare outside Sichuan Province, a "face-changing magician" of the kind featured in the 1996 hit film "The King of Masks." Making a Hawaii pit stop on its way to a West Coast tour, the Sichuan Provincial Chinese Folk Art Performance Group features dancers and acrobats, as well as the "Bian Lian" performer, who can somehow switch elaborate head masks in the blink of an eye.

The Narcissus Queen and court will be modeling fashions found in Chinatown shops such as Xin Xin and Avanti. Plus there's a 1,000-Year-Old-Egg-Eating contest -- don't ask -- and a dedicated area for Mah Jongg players, plus cooking demos with the spicy Sichuan theme, plus the lion dancers who leap atop poles, plus genealogy experts, plus feng shui demos, calligraphy demos, plus chop or seal carving, plus, plus, plus -- well, keep an eye out for the giant panda handing out Orange Chicken samples.