地母娘娘又稱地母尊神、地母至尊、地母尊佛、地母元君等等，是台灣特有的神祗。根據南投埔里寶湖宮天地堂地母廟的廟志，現址埔里鎮枇杷里11鄰枇杷路94號的地母廟源於埔里溪南里梁傳興家，梁傳興與當地的鸞堂似乎頗有淵源，因此得到一部據說是源於陝西地方的鸞書，即《地母真經》，梁傳興非常虔誠的誦讀這本經書。結果1916年8月埔里大地震時，梁家人在事前即得到地母娘娘發爐示警，因而逃過一劫。梁傳興過世後，其子梁任生在1937年將家宅和廟遷往寶湖堀，並在此地設立地母的塑像。1945年地母娘娘附身於張金英，向信徒表示要教化世人。於是梁任生開始倡建和籌設廟宇。1947年選定地點，興建為「天地堂」。開始服務大眾，成為宮廟壇堂之類的廟宇。以每年農曆十月十八日為地母聖誔。
根據《地母真經》的內容，地母所代表的概念近於明清以來民間教派中的無生老母、瑤池金母這類神祇的概念，它們都是以母親代表宇宙萬物的起源，還有生養萬物的源頭。此外《地母真經》也如同其它各種鸞書的內容，不斷強調儒教的孝道人倫。根據這點，地母娘娘的源頭是來自民間儒教或是儒宗神教，只是有別於一般鸞堂以恩主公為主祀神，地母廟是以地母為主祀神，從教義源流上地母娘娘的信仰和台灣戰前的母娘信仰不無關係。因此，一般所稱地母源於后土之說，甚至有謂地母娘娘即為九天玄女，可能是附會之說。
地母廟在台灣早期的發展應當不止埔里寶湖宮天地堂地母廟一處，根據報紙的報導，1969年在雲林古坑一帶也有地母廟。目前全台各地包括臺北蘆洲、花蓮等地也都有各式各樣的地母廟，且各自有不同的稱號，這說明地母娘娘正當方興未艾之勢。地母廟之所以知名，也和臺灣的科技業有些淵源。宏碁集團創辦人施振榮是最知名的信徒，他因為母親拜地母廟，加上宏碁早年初創時受地母的護祐感應，得以尋回失竊的IC元件，有助於宏碁日後的發展。科技業者的信仰者也促成了地母信仰的流行。目前在台灣除南投，也有其它地方發展不同的地母信仰。
關鍵詞：地母、鸞書、鸞堂、地母真經、宏碁
參考網址：於2010.10讀取。
1.《地母真經》
http://www.jnk.org.tw/w02-14.htm
2.南投埔里寶湖宮天地堂地母廟
http://www.5ch.com.tw/30000/dimu/dimu.htm
Dimu Niangniang, a goddess of earth, is only in Taiwan. She is also called Dimu Zunshen (地母尊神). Regarding to the record of Dimu temple in Puli (埔里), it seems originated from a devotee of Luantang (鸞堂), phoenix hall, a term referring to the place where a kind of spiritual writing ritual is held in. The devotee’s name is Liang Zhuanxing (梁傳興).He was the people in the period of Japan reign. At first, he got a book, named Dimu zhenjing (地母真經), the Genuine scripture of Dimu. It is said that the scripture was originated from Shanxi province (陝西), mainland China. After he got the Dimu zhenjing, he devoted himself in chanting it. In August, 1916, there was a huge earthquake striking in Puli. Fortunately, before it occured, Liang and his family member got a message from the goddess Dimu Niangniang. She made inside of Liang’s censer burning without reason as a warning. All of Liang’s family escaped from the catastroph. After this event, Liang established a shrine of Dimu Niangniang in his house. In 1937, his son Liang Rensheng (梁任生) moved Liang’s house and the temple to Baohu Ku (寶湖堀) where the temple is located in. The statue of Dimu Niangniang was also set. In 1945, a medium named Zhang Jinying (張金英) was possessed by Dimu Niangniang. She ordered the devotees should expand the temple and open to the public. In 1947, the location was chosen and the temple was rebuilt. The new temple was named Tiandi Tang, the Heaven and Earth Hall. Dimu Niangniang’s birthday is October, eighteenth in Chinese lunar calendar.
Some people thought that Dimu Niangniang is originated from another ancient Chinese earth goddess, Hou Tu (后土). It is also said that she is Jiutian Xuannu (九天玄女). However, the evidence is not strong enough. According to the content of Dimu zhenjing, the religious ideas of it are closed to Wuji Laomu (無極老母). Besides, the ethical codes in it are Confuian. It is an important character among Luantang in Taiwan. The only difference between Dimu temple and Luantang is the dedicated god. Almost all of the Luantang in Taiwan is dedicated to Enzhu Gong (恩主公), Guan yu (關羽). In other words, Dimu Niangniang would be originated from Luantang, a popular sect in Chinese popular religion.
Today, Dimu temple is flourishing in Taiwan. There are various temples dedicated to Dimu Niangniang. Maybe the reason is in relation of the electronic industry. The most famous devotee of Dimu Niangniang is Stan Shih (施振榮), the founder of Acer company. He became the devotee of Dimu Niangniang because of his mother, a single mum raising him up. When the company was just founded, a huge bunchs of IC chips were lost. Shih’s mother and all the family prayed to Dimu Niangniang. Finally, the IC chips were got back. As a result, Shih and some of the company member became the devotees of Dimu Niangniang. This is a famous story about Dimu Niangniang in Taiwan.
Keywords: Dimu Niangniang, the Goddess of Earth, Dimu zhenjing
References:
Websites:
1.《地母真經》
http://www.jnk.org.tw/w02-14.htm
2.南投埔里寶湖宮天地堂地母廟
http://www.5ch.com.tw/30000/dimu/dimu.htm