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)。除了一般職務之外,據說(shuo)當雷(lei)公與電母吵架的(de)時(shi)候(hou),天上(shang)也(ye)會雷(lei)電交加(jia)。
除此關于電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)的來歷又(you)有(you)諸(zhu)神(shen)(shen)傳說。《鑄(zhu)鼎余聞(wen)》云:致道觀(guan)雷(lei)(lei)部(bu)前殿,列電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)秀使者,名文英。元(yuan)代軍中有(you)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi)。《元(yuan)史(shi)·輿服志》稱:電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi),其上形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)為:畫神(shen)(shen)人為女(nv)人形(xing),衣朱裳白褲(ku),兩(liang)手運光。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)還(huan)出(chu)現在《西游記(ji)》和(he)《封神(shen)(shen)演義》等小(xiao)(xiao)說中,后者稱其為金光圣母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)。明代余象(xiang)(xiang)斗《北游記(ji)》又(you)稱電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)為朱佩娘娘,雷(lei)(lei)神(shen)(shen)曾給予她兩(liang)面(mian)雷(lei)(lei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鏡(jing),為雷(lei)(lei)神(shen)(shen)打人時照明。清代黃斐(fei)默《集說詮真》載,清代中國民(min)間將電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)塑成容貌端雅(ya)的女(nv)子(zi),兩(liang)手各(ge)執一(yi)鏡(jing),號(hao)為電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)秀天君。其形(xing)象(xiang)(xiang)應與明代小(xiao)(xiao)說有(you)關。