Why make it harder? Why can't leave well enough alone?

Pretty sure it is to reduce fake documents being used.

These documents proving that you are single (and/or otherwise marriageable) are different for each country, and if notarizing the Chinese translation of any such random document is sufficient for local authorities to grant marriage, it would be all too easy to forge something up.

Thanks for all the responses and help.

I'm just outside of Kunming and my fiancées hukou is in Yuxi.

Found out from the guys in Kunming that, as you guys were saying getting the certificate from chongqing is fine. unfortunately being in a small city means the people here aren't as clear about what to do.

Fingers crossed I can explain the situation to the government here and it'll get sorted