Soldiers fighting the flood stay positive,
boast 'medals of the sun' (7)

More than any other single group, Chinese soldiers are the ones who have sacrificed the most during recent flood rescue efforts. With barely any time to eat or rest, the soldiers have worked long hours directly beneath the hot sun. In fact, many soldiers have sustained serious sunburns thanks to this exposure. Some joke that these red and peeling patches of skin are actually "medals of the sun."