The Buddhist temple was built as a memorial to those who lost their lives during the Battle of Pasir Panjang in 1942, villagers as well as Allied and Japanese soldiers.

Following a major development project which began in 2003, Poh Ern Shih became the first religious building in the country to incorporate both eco-friendly and elderly-friendly features.

Poh Ern Shih is located on the top of Chwee Chian Hill, off Pasir Panjang Road, on Singapore's southern coast.

[1] To protect its military facilities in the vicinity, the British colonial government placed heavy artillery guns on Chwee Chian Hill before the onset of the Second World War, in anticipation of seaborne attacks by the Japanese off the coast of Pasir Panjang.

Despite running low on ammunition and food, the Malay Regiments put up strong resistance, inflicting a heavy toll on the Japanese invaders.

[2] Based on the concept of liberating the spirits of the soldiers and civilians who were sacrificed during the Japanese invasion in World War II, the temple of Poh Ern Shih was constructed on the site of the bloodshed on Chwee Chian Hill.

[9] In December 1959, Pitt embarked on the task of translating the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra from Chinese to English at Poh Ern Shih, so that it would be accessible to the English-educated.

In 1964, Pitt was awarded the Public Service Star—BBM (Bintang Bakti Masharakat)—by Encik Yusof bin Ishak, the First President of the Republic of Singapore.

The new six-storey building was designed by Lee Coo, who is also the architect behind the Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall of the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple.

[10] Occupying a 46,938-square-foot (4,360.7 m2) freehold site,[1] the new Poh Ern Shih is an architectural synthesis of classical features combined with modern eco-friendly technology.

[11] The rainwater which falls on Poh Ern Shih is collected from surface run-offs and rain gutters and used to irrigate the temple grounds, as well as to generate electricity used for charging the batteries of in-house motorised wheelchairs.

[11] In line with the aim to make use of renewable resources, the furniture in Poh Ern Shih for its resident monastics is made from bamboo.

Lee Boon Siong contacted the Fellowship's President, Angie Monksfield, a Chinese Singaporean married to an English Catholic, offering use of the temple premises.

The event was marked by an opening ceremony attended by Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health, and the Fellowship's two spiritual patrons, Ajahn Brahm and Venerable Kwang Sheng, Abbot of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple.