Low was born on 29 November 1837 in
Zhangzhou,
Fujian. He came to Singapore in 1858 as a general trader, and founded Chop Ban San, a medical store, after meeting with success. Chop Ban San later became one of the largest Chinese druggist stores in Singapore. He also established a private banking business, as well as Chop Hock Nam, another medical store. In 1898, both he and his son had an unusual dream of a golden man arriving from the west. He then met Venerable
Xian Hui, who was returning to Fujian after a six-year pilgrimage in
Sri Lanka. Low believed that Xian Hui was the man he encountered in his dream, and persuaded him to stay in Singapore. He and
Yeo Poon Seng raised the funds to construct the first Chinese Buddhist temple in Singapore known as
Siong Lim Temple on
Kim Keat Road, which was completed in 1906, and Xian Hui became the temple's first abbot. In 1906, he and several fellow prominent members of the Chinese community in Singapore founded the General Chinese Trade Affairs Association (later known as
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce). He was later appointed director of the chamber, as well as the
Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan. He was also a member of the
Singapore Po Leung Kuk and the
Chinese Advisory Board. ==Personal life==