The history of Singapore Lam Ann Association is closely related to Hong San See Temple. In the 16th year of Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1836), the Nanan sage Liang Rengui and others built the Hong San See Temple near Qingshan Pavilion (Wali Street at Tanjong Pagar MRT Station). In the 7th year of Tongzhi, the former sages Cai Pengnan, Song Qilin and others initiated the renovation project of the temple. At the 33rd year of Guangxu, the area was affected by urban development and had to relocate. The temple was compensated with 50,000 dollars. After searching for sometimes, the committee members decided on the current site, Mohamad Sultan Road, to build a new temple. Before the relocation, Hong San See Temple had already become a gathering place for Nanan people. After the new temple was built, the committee decided to establish a school, Nanming School, in the temple to provide education to nearby children. It then attracted more and more people from all over the place to come and participate in our activities more enthusiastically.

In 1924, Wang Jialu, Hou Xifan, Lin Shuicong, Lin Shenfu, Hong Guangteng, Li Guangqian, Liang Zhou and others initiated the establishment of the "Lam Ann Association" and the meeting was called in Hong San See Temple. In 1926, Lam Ann Association was officially founded, and Executive Council purchased five two-storey shophouses in Ann Siang Hill. House number 59 was used as the clubhouse for the association. The other four shophouses were rented out to provide the source of funding for the association. The first chairman was Mr. Wang Jialu.

Wang Jialu served as the president for the first and third terms, and was then succeeded by the venerable Liang Shaoshan. The association's charter was subsequently amended to a committee system. The venerable Hou Xifan served as the executive chairman for several decades until he was ordered to leave during the war period. Afterward, the venerable Zhou Xianrui continued to preside over the association's affairs and assisted in war relief efforts. When the Japanese forces advanced southward, the association's premises became the headquarters for the anti-Japanese volunteer army. After the Japanese occupied Singapore, the association's officials, to avoid unnecessary sacrifices, burned related documents and fled, with the martyr Lin Mousheng being a prominent figure among them.

At the end of 1945, Liang Houzhou, Zhou Xianrui, Lin Jianda and other sages reestablished the association. Zhou Xianrui was unanimously elected as the chairman.

In 1950, the association was registered as a public company limited by guarantee in accordance with the Companies Act 1940. In 1962, Chairman Lam Chien Tat once again brought up the matter of rebuilding the clubhouse during the investiture of the 27th Executive Council, and it received an immediate favorable response.

In 1963, Lam Chien Tat resigned due to poor health condition. Mr. Zhuo Jinshu succeeded as chairman and continued to work on the rebuilding a new clubhouse for the association. Initially, it was planned to convert the original site of Ann Siang Hill into a 4-storey building. After due discussions, it was decided to build a 5-storey building in the open space in front of the Hong San See Temple at Mohamad Sultan Road.

In June 1967, Mr. Zhuo Jinshu passed away, and Mr. Lin Jianda was re-elected as chairman. However, during the re-election ofthe following year, he expressed his wish to step down due to his health condition. Mr. Wu Hongye was elected unanimously as the new chairman and continued to lead the association rebuilding project.

With the combined efforts and contributions from the clansmen, hundreds of thousands dollars of funds were raised. After the drawings of the building were approved by the government, the construction of the new building started with a grand ground-breaking ceremony held on January 10, 1970. The ceremony was officiated by the honorary chairman of the Singapore Lam Ann Association, Ng Aik Huan. On January 15, 1977, a ceremony was held to celebrate the association's golden jubilee and the completion of the new building.

Mr. Goh Hong Giap served as chairman from 1968 to 1977. He was succeeded by Mr. Lee Koon Seng. In 1980, Mr. Lin Jianda was elected as the 36th chairman.

In 1982, Lin Wenyuan was elected as the chairman. During his 12 years in office, he actively promote association's business, especially in strengthening bonds within the clansmen. In 1988, in view of the urgent issue of succession, the Executive Council established the Youth group on 15th September. The youth group involved actively in the traditional festive celebrations and culture festivals organised by the association.

In 1994, the young entrepreneur Ng Kok Keng was elected as the 43th Chairman, he started the renovation works on Hong San See Temple, and initiated the building of a multi-purpose hall Nanfeng Pavilion in the association building.

From 1996 to 1999, Ng Kok Keng was re-elected as the chairman of the 44th and 45th Executive Council. Under his leadership, the association organised the 5-Celebration Ceremony from 8-11 April 1996. One of the event was the 3rd World Convention of Nanan Clansmen. Besides this, the association continued to organise various activities, laying a strong foundation for the association.

From 2004 to 2007, Tan Eng Lai assumed as the chairman of the 48th and 49th council. During his tenure, he actively recruited talented young clansmen to join the association to enhance the strength of the entire team

The century-old Hong San See Temple, under the jurisdiction of the association, has once again suffered severe damage from termite infestation. In response to this serious situation, the association has established the fourth Restoration Committee, named "Hong San See Temple National Monument Restoration Committee," to initiate preparations for repair and renovation. Experts from the Beijing Palace Museum have been invited to assist in surveying and planning, with the aim of drafting a blueprint for the restoration project.

In November 2006, the aoosciation held a grand celebration of the Five Celebrations, themed "Celebrating reunion for all the Nanan hearts, joyous encounters to elevate hometown sentiments." This event commemorated the 80th anniversary of the association's establishment and hosted five major celebrations: the First Nan'an Economic Forum @ Singapore, the 170th anniversary of the founding of Hong San See Temple, the 18th anniversary of the Youth Group, and the 48th anniversary of the Mutual Help Association. Five thousand guests from around the world gathered in Singapore to joyfully reunite, share hometown sentiments, and collaborate on development.

2008, Dato Lin Jincong took over the chairmanship. He step down in 2009 due to health condition.

Also in 2009, the restoration project of Hong San See Temple was successfully completed after five years of effort and a cost of 2.5 million dollars. This endeavor restored the temple to its former glory. To raise funds for the restoration, the Restoration Committee organized several fundraising activities: the association and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra jointly organised the "Pan Xiuqiong Concert" and invited world-renowned conductor Mr. Choo Hoey to conduct the Singapore Chinese Orchestra for the first time in a symphonic performance of the "Butterfly Lovers" Concerto, using each and every donation collected for the restoration project. The Lee Foundation generously donated 1 million dollars to this project. At the grand banquet celebrating the anniversary of Guangze Zunwang, every donation of 5,000 dollars will receive a brick called "Niu Ta Brick" from the temple temple. We also ordered the limited production of "Nan'an Red Wine" from a famous French winery for charity. The words "Nan'an" were from our renowned artist and calligrapher, Dr Tan Swie Hian. He is also the permanent honorary president of the Association. In July 2009, the "Nan'an Art and Culture Society" was established to promote and study academic and cultural arts, and to cultivate artistic and cultural people.

On February 22, 2010, led by the the 51st Executive Council ChairmanTan Aik Hock and presided over by Master Guangxiang, a solemn and simple ceremony was held in front of the main hall of Hong San See Temple. This ceremony marked the enshrinement of various Buddhas and deities. Later in the evening, the stage performance "Songs and Dances of Southern Winds Tonight" commenced as dusk fell. The following night, a grand banquet for a thousand guests was held. During this banquet, Chairman Tan Aik Hock presented appointment certificates to honorary advisors, honorary presidents, advisory board members, and honorary committee members. Chairman of the Restoration Committee, Patrick Goh, then awarded the "Cattle Pressed Brick" to clansmen and philanthropists from various sectors who hadcontributed generously to the restoration of Hong San See Temple. Upon the successful completion of this extensive restoration project, Hong San See Temple was awarded with the Awards of Execellance from UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. A prestigious award ceremony was held on November 23 to celebrate this achievement.

In 2011, the association hosted its largest event to date, the seven-day "Bringing your children to trace your ancestral roots in Nan'an Fujian" tour. This event, led by the older generation, aimed to help the younger generation reconnect with their roots and ancestors by exploring the local customs, geographical features, and culture of their hometown. A total of 138 people registered to participate, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for their hometown. In the same year, the association collaborated with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) to present the outdoor concert "Elegance and Popularity: SCO's Harmonious Melodies at Hong San See Temple." This concert, held in front of Hong San See Temple, attracted over 800 attendees.

In 2013, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) held an "Old Building Restoration Award" ceremony in the auditorium of the Lam Ann Association. Due to its outstanding performance in the restoration project, the Hong San See Temple is the only Grade A restoration project earning the URA Architectural Heritage Awards. In the same year, the Lam Ann Association, for its unique achievement in the extensive five-year restoration project of the century-old Hong San See Temple, was honored with the "2013 Outstanding Clan Association Award" by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations.

From November 18 to 21, 2014, the 12th World Convention of Nanan Clansmen, themed "Nan An Spirit • Charming Lion City," was held at the Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre. This event also celebrated the 88th anniversary of the Singapore Lam Ann Association. The biennial reunion conference serves as a gathering for compatriots from home and abroad, promoting communication, understanding, and strengthening connections; it also deepens economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between local and overseas communities. This plays a positive role in regional economic and public welfare development.

Currently, there are approximately 400,000 Singaporeans of Lam Ann descent, with ancestral origins in towns such as Shishan, Xiangyun, Meishan, Luodong, Fengzhou, Liucheng, Meilin, Lefeng, Shuitou, Guanqiao, and Shijing. As early as 2007, the Nanan General Chamber of Commerce established its representative office in the Singapore Lam Ann Association. While fostering close ties and cultural heritage, it also maintained close business connections with chambers of commerce in China and other regions. The Lam Ann Association founded the Singapore Lam Ann Chamber of Commerce to provide a platform for cooperative investment and trade development, aiming for mutual benefit. On November 19, 2015, the Singapore Lam Ann Chamber of Commerce held its opening ceremony in the Lam Ann Association auditorium.

To express gratitude for the contributions of the elderly to their families and the country, the association began holding the "Chongyang Love Warms Lion City" event for the elderly in the community around the Double Ninth Festival in the lunar calendar in 2016. This event includes a free luncheon and stage performances to bring warmth and joy to the elderly during the festive season. However, the event was later suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

From September 29 to October 8, 2023, the first "Singapore Hokkien Lam Ann Festival" was held. This 10-day event attracted 30,000 attendees and featured activities such as an introduction to the Nan An Association, guided tours of the Hong San See Temple, over 20 cultural lectures in the Lee Kong Chian Hall, a cultural corridor, outdoor stage performances, and a food festival. This event set a record for local community organizations hosting a cultural festival and received a lot of positive and enthusiastic feedback from the public.