evidence: After the first ascent of Sherpi Kangri (7380 m) in 1976,2 we took Namcha Barwa (7756 m) or Kula Kangri (7554 m) as the next objectives and began to negotiate with the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA) in the beginning of 1978. At that time, however, we had not enough information about the mountaineering organization in China and groped in the dark. Fortunately I got an opportunity to join the delegation of the Faculty of Engineering of Kobe University to China in 1980 and to meet with Shi Zhan Chun, the vice president of CMA (at that time). Since this first meeting with him, I often met him and we became good friends. Our objective was forced to change again and again, finally, the permission to scale Kula Kangri was given at the end of December 1984. It had indeed been a patient and tenacious effort lasting 7 years. [...] Sketch Map of Kula Kangri [...] Frontispiece: Kula Kangri from Tibet. (Prof K. Hirai)