This study explores the relationship of external events and internal triggers on the leisure experiences of post-retirement women living in a large city in north-eastern China. Analysis of data obtained from semi-structured, in-depth interviews suggested that both external events and internal triggers led to changes in the leisure experiences of the participants. Retirement and socioeconomic changes after the Cultural Revolution provided the catalyst for participating in additional leisure activities that either helped the women to maintain a sense of internal continuity, or provided an opportunity of establishing a new identity. The findings support the importance of innovation in leisure activities in the ageing process, and suggest that for the participants in this study, traditional cultural values are more influential than external triggers in determining participation in new leisure activities.