電母是從雷神信仰中分化出來的,早期雷神兼管雷電,據《十駕齋養新錄》引《管輅別傳》,則當時已經有“雷公電父”之稱了。后來,按照人們陰陽對立男女配對的心理特征,電父搖身一變成為女性,電母之稱至遲出于宋代,蘇軾有詩云“麾駕雷車呵電母”,《元史》云“電母旗,畫神人為女人形”,明代都昂用易經理論來解釋,說“易離為電,為中女陰也,而電出地之陰氣,故云母”。神怪小說中都有閃電神(《封神演義》中說是金光圣母)、(閃電娘子《西游記》之說),(《搜神大全》則說天大笑時開口流光為閃電)。除了一般職務之(zhi)外,據說(shuo)當雷公(gong)與電(dian)(dian)母(mu)吵(chao)架的時候,天(tian)上(shang)也會雷電(dian)(dian)交加。
除此關于(yu)電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)的來歷(li)又有諸神傳說(shuo)。《鑄鼎(ding)余聞(wen)》云(yun):致道觀雷部(bu)前殿(dian),列電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)秀使者(zhe)(zhe),名(ming)文英。元(yuan)代軍中有電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi)。《元(yuan)史(shi)·輿(yu)服志》稱:電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi),其(qi)上形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)為(wei):畫(hua)神人為(wei)女(nv)(nv)人形(xing),衣朱裳白褲,兩(liang)手運光。電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)還出現在《西(xi)游(you)記》和《封神演義》等(deng)小說(shuo)中,后者(zhe)(zhe)稱其(qi)為(wei)金光圣母(mu)(mu)(mu)。明代余象(xiang)(xiang)斗《北游(you)記》又稱電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)為(wei)朱佩(pei)娘(niang)娘(niang),雷神曾給(gei)予她兩(liang)面雷電(dian)(dian)(dian)鏡,為(wei)雷神打人時照(zhao)明。清代黃(huang)斐默《集說(shuo)詮真》載(zai),清代中國民間(jian)將(jiang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)塑成容貌端雅的女(nv)(nv)子,兩(liang)手各執一鏡,號為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)秀天君。其(qi)形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)應(ying)與明代小說(shuo)有關。