The deities of Thunder (Lei Gong) and Lightning (Dian Mu) originate from ancient Chinese mythology. Lei Gong, the god of thunder, embodies the yang (masculine) principle and is hence referred to as “Gong” (male). He is also known as the Thunder Master or Thunder God. Dian Mu, the goddess of lightning, represents the yin (feminine) principle, thus called “Mu” (mother), and is also known as the Golden Light Holy Mother or Lightning Lady. The worship of thunder and lightning dates back to antiquity. The Warring States poet Qu Yuan mentioned in his work “Far-off Journey,” “On the left, the Rain Master awaits orders, on the right, Lei Gong stands guard”; and in “Li Sao,” it is said: “The phoenix king warned me beforehand, and the Thunder Master informed me of my unpreparedness. I command Fenglong to ride the clouds, in search of the whereabouts of the divine consort.” According to Han dynasty annotations, Fenglong refers to the Thunder Master. Legends describe the deity initially in animal form, later taking on the appearance of a powerful warrior, bare-chested and belly exposed, with double wings on his back, three eyes on his forehead, a face red like a monkey, eagle-like feet, holding a wedge in his left hand and a chisel in his right, ready to strike. Beside his statue often hang several drums, with more drums under his feet; beating the drums produces thunder. He is said to discern good and evil among humans, execute divine law on behalf of heaven, punishing the guilty and upholding justice. There are many literary records about Lei Gong or the Thunder God, such as in “Shan Hai Jing” (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), where the image of the Thunder God is described as having a dragon’s body and a human head, beating his belly like a drum. During the Eastern Han dynasty, Wang Chong’s “Lun Heng” (Discourses Weighed in the Balance) depicted a change in the Thunder God’s image, describing him as a strong man, which corresponds to the common people’s understanding of Lei Gong at that time: “The thunderous sound is like drums being struck in succession; and when it strikes with a sudden crack, it’s like the sound of a hammer hitting; when it kills, it’s because the drums and hammer strike together.” Thus, Lei Gong is envisioned in human form. In the Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern Dynasties, there were also records of Lei Gong in animal form. For example, “Sou Shen Ji” describes the Thunder God as red-colored, with mirror-like eyes, horns three feet long, resembling the six domestic animals and particularly looking like a Mi monkey. The role of controlling lightning was also initially attributed to Lei Gong until the concept of “Electric Father” emerged during the Han dynasty. By the Tang and Song dynasties, the deity of lightning transformed into Dian Mu. Tang dynasty poet Cui Zhiyuan wrote, “Let Dian Mu and Lei Gong carve the path to the outer realms facing heaven.” Song dynasty poet Su Shi also mentioned, “Commanding Lei Gong and scolding Dian Mu.” From the Song dynasty onwards, Dian Mu became more widely recognized, with names and titles such as “The Envoy Dian Mu Xiu, named Wen Ying” mentioned in “Zhu Ding Yu Wen.” The “Yuan History” (Yuan Shi) mentioned an “Electric Mother Flag” in the army, depicting a divine female figure, “dressed in a red gown and white trousers, with both hands wielding light.” The Ming dynasty novels “Journey to the West” and “Journey to the North” also featured Dian Mu, referred to as “Golden Light Holy Mother” or “Zhu Pei Lady.”
The primary duty of Lei Gong and Dian Mu is to oversee and control the forces of thunder and lightning. However, since the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, the people have endowed thunder and lightning with the significance of punishing evil and promoting good. “The Records of the Grand Historian” (Shi Ji) in the “Annals of Yin” stated, “Wu Yi was unrighteous, struck to death by a sudden thunderstorm.” Wang Chong’s “Discourses Weighed in the Balance” (“Lei Xu” chapter) mentioned, “In the height of summer, thunder and lightning are swift, breaking trees and destroying houses, sometimes killing people,” and “When it kills, it is said to be due to ‘Yin Guo,’ consuming impure food, angering heaven which then strikes and kills. The thunderous sound is the voice of heaven’s anger, as if it were a human sigh.” Thus, thunder and lightning are believed to act on heaven’s behalf to punish those who commit sins, embodying the idea of divine retribution. Taoism inherited the ancient Chinese belief in Lei Gong and Dian Mu. The “Dao Men Ke Fan Da Quan Ji” compiled by Tang and Five Dynasties’ Taoist Du Guangting includes several rituals for praying for rain and snow, primarily invoking Lei Gong and Dian Mu. From the Northern Song dynasty onwards, with the rise of Taoist thunder magic, the Thunder God became key to the efficacy of thunder magic, endowed with the authority to control heaven’s blessings and curses, and to govern life and death.
In larger Taoist temples and monasteries, Lei Gong and Dian Mu are commonly worshipped. The statue of Lei Gong is depicted as a strong man, bare-chested, with a pair of wings on his back, three eyes on his forehead, a red face like a monkey, a long and pointed chin, eagle-like feet, holding a wedge in his left hand and a hammer in his right, in a striking pose. From the top to the side, five connected drums hang, with one drum under his left foot, known as Lei Gong Jiang Tian Jun. The image of Dian Mu presents a woman of elegance and grace, embodying femininity and beauty, holding a mirror in both hands, known as Dian Mu Xiu Tian Jun. The birthday of Lei Gong is celebrated on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month. Taoist followers generally only worship Lei Gong and Dian Mu when praying for rain or snow, with specialized worship being rare. However, in large Taoist fasting and offering ceremonies, the deities of Lei Gong and Dian Mu still have their places.