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,據說當雷公與電母吵(chao)架的(de)時候,天上也會雷電交(jiao)加。
除此關(guan)于電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)的來歷(li)又有諸神(shen)傳說。《鑄鼎余聞》云:致道觀雷部(bu)前殿,列電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)秀使者(zhe),名文英。元代軍(jun)中(zhong)(zhong)有電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi)。《元史·輿服志》稱:電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)旗(qi),其(qi)上形(xing)象為(wei):畫神(shen)人為(wei)女人形(xing),衣朱裳白褲,兩手運光。電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)形(xing)象還出現在《西(xi)游記》和《封神(shen)演義》等小(xiao)說中(zhong)(zhong),后者(zhe)稱其(qi)為(wei)金光圣母(mu)(mu)(mu)。明(ming)代余象斗(dou)《北(bei)游記》又稱電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)為(wei)朱佩娘(niang)娘(niang),雷神(shen)曾給予她兩面雷電(dian)(dian)(dian)鏡,為(wei)雷神(shen)打人時照明(ming)。清代黃斐默《集說詮真》載,清代中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)民(min)間將電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)塑成容貌端雅的女子,兩手各執(zhi)一鏡,號(hao)為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)母(mu)(mu)(mu)秀天(tian)君。其(qi)形(xing)象應與明(ming)代小(xiao)說有關(guan)。