What can the terra cotta soldiers tell us about how the Chinese lived when the soldiers were constructed? ...

The terra cotta soldiers can tell us a great deal about
how the Chinese lived.  The thing that they can tell us most clearly is about how the
Chinese soldiers were equipped during this time.  They can tell us this because they are
made to duplicate what a real group of soldiers would look like.  They have all the
right equipment, all the right weapons, etc.  We can also tell a lot from the soldiers
about the state of art in the society -- about how their potters and metal workers
crafted things, for example.

Here is a quote that reflects
this:

The
documentary value of a group of hyperrealistic sculptures where no detail has been
neglected from the uniforms of the warriors, their arms, to even the horses' halters- is
enormous. Furthermore, the information to be gleaned from the statues concerning the
craft and techniques of potters and bronze-workers is
immeasurable.